Electrically Propelled Vehicle

• US 20080185196A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Romano Artioli
• Original Assignee: Romano Artioli
• Inventors: Artioli, Romano
• Application Number:
  US11/916,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185196A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/07 of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A propulsion apparatus for a vehicle comprising an electric motor for rotationally actuating at least one driving wheel of the vehicle; a power source comprising a storage battery for supplying a current to the electric motor; an internal-combustion engine operationally connected to a reversible electric machine; the reversible electric machine being electrically connected to the electric motor and/or to the storage battery so as to supply the current to the electric motor and/or recharge the storage battery, respectively, wherein it does not have a movement transmission for connecting the internal-combustion engine to the driving wheel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A propulsion apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

an electric motor for rotationally actuating at least one driving wheel of said vehicle;

a power source comprising a storage battery for supplying a current to said electric motor;

an internal-combustion engine operationally connected to a reversible electric machine;

said reversible electric machine being electrically connected to said electric motor and/or to said storage battery so as to supply said current to said electric motor and/or recharge said storage battery, respectively;

wherein propulsion apparatus does not have movement transmission means for connecting said internal-combustion engine to said driving wheel of said vehicle.

2. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it comprises control means for electrically and selectively connecting said storage battery to said electric motor and/or to said reversible electric machine.

3. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 2, in which said control means continuously monitor the voltage at the terminals of said storage battery and the voltage at the terminals of said reversible electric machine, when said electric motor is powered by said current supplied by said storage battery and when said electric motor is powered at least partially by said reversible electric machine, respectively.

4. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 2, in which said control means interrupt the electrical connection between said storage battery and said reversible electric machine, if said control means detect that the voltage at the terminals of said storage battery is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage value.

5. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 2, wherein it comprises circuit means which are able to transfer the voltage value detected by the control means to display means.

6. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it comprises polarisation means able to prevent a current directed from said reversible electric machine to said storage battery.

7. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it comprises movement transmission members able to mechanically connect said internal-combustion engine to said reversible electric machine.

8. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said movement transmission members consist of a continuous variation transmission.

9. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power source comprises a photovoltaic panel which can be electrically connected to said electric motor and/or to said storage battery.

10. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal-combustion engine is a two-stroke direct-injection engine.

11. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said two-stroke direct-injection engine is powered by natural gas.

12. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said internal-combustion engine is an Otto engine or diesel engine.

13. The propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reversible electric machine is a permanent-magnet synchronous motor able to function as an electric current generator.

14. The propulsion Propulsion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electric motor is incorporated inside said driving wheel.

15. A vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a plurality of wheels able to ensure stable supporting of the vehicle on the ground;

at least one of said wheels is a driving wheel so as to allow said vehicle to move;

a bodywork able to define a passenger compartment inside which at least one passenger may be accommodated in a protected position;

a propulsion apparatus according to claim 1 any

wherein said vehicle does not have movement transmission means for connecting said internal-combustion engine to said driving wheel of said vehicle 2.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said storage battery is housed inside a box-shaped container associated with said chassis.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said internal-combustion engine is powered by gas, said gas being contained inside tanks.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said tanks are arranged so as to be aligned in a predefined longitudinal direction in which the vehicle extends from the front end to the rear end with reference to the direction of forward rectilinear travel of the said vehicle.

19. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said driving wheel is a rear driving wheel.

20. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein it comprises two rear driving wheels.

21. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein it comprises four driving wheels.

22. (canceled)

25. A method for controlling the propulsion of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

rotationally actuating at least one driving wheel of said vehicle with an electric motor;

supplying a current from a power source comprising a storage battery to said electric motor;

operationally connecting an internal-combustion engine to a reversible electric machine;

electrically connecting said reversible electric machine to said electric motor and/or to said storage battery so as to supply said current to said electric motor or recharge said storage battery, respectively; and

permanently and kinematically disengaging said internal combustion engine from said driving wheel of said vehicle in any operating condition of said vehicle.

23. The propulsion control method according to claim 25, wherein it comprises a step involving:

continuously monitoring the voltage at the terminals of said storage battery and the voltage at the terminals of said reversible electric machine, when said electric motor is powered by said current supplied by said storage battery and when said electric motor is powered at least partially by said reversible electric machine, respectively.

24. The propulsion control method according to claim 25, wherein it comprises a further step involving:

interrupting the electrical connection between said storage battery and said reversible electric machine, if the voltage at the terminals of said storage battery is lower than a predetermined threshold voltage value.