Hybrid electric vehicle having alternate power sources

• US 20080264704A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel J. Meaney
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Meaney
• Inventors: Meaney, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US12/154,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20080264704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A hybrid electric vehicle having alternate fuel sources is shown and includes an AC/DC converter for storing a direct current voltage in a battery. A fuel converter converts a composition fuel into a combustible fuel, preferably hydrogen. The hydrogen is stored in a hydrogen storage device. The charging of a battery or the production and storage of the hydrogen occurs prior to the starting of or the operation of the hybrid electric vehicle. A driving system includes a direct current motor and a combustible fuel engine. A control device enables the driving system to be powered by the direct current voltage or the combustible fuel. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen to produce a direct current voltage.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising

a fuel converter responsive to an alternating current for receiving water and converting said water into hydrogen and for storing said hydrogen in a hydrogen storage device prior to the starting of the hybrid electric vehicle;

a driving system for transporting a hybrid electric vehicle, said driving system including

a direct current motor operatively coupled to said driving system, said direct current motor being responsive to a stored direct current voltage for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal;

a fuel cell operatively coupled to the hydrogen storage device for converting hydrogen into direct current for storing direct current in a direct current voltage storage device or applying in response to a second control signal a direct current voltage to said direct current motor for driving said direct current motor; and

a control device operatively connected to said direct current motor, said direct current voltage storage device and said fuel cell to selectively apply a first control signal to said direct current voltage storage device or a second control signal to said fuel cell to enable said driving system to be driven by said direct current voltage from said direct current voltage storage device or direct current voltage from said fuel cell.

2. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 further comprising

a fuel converter responsive to the control device for converting a composition fuel in a first state into hydrogen during operation of the hybrid vehicle;

and

a composition fuel storage device located within said hybrid electric vehicle for storing said composition fuel in a first state and for applying said composition fuel in said first state to said fuel converter for converting said composition fuel into hydrogen prior to or during operation of the hybrid electric vehicle and storing said hydrogen in said hydrogen storage device.

3. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 2 wherein said composition fuel is an organic fuel.

4. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 2 wherein said composition fuel is water.

5. A hybrid motor vehicle comprising an alternating current to direct current converter for producing and storing a direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device prior to starting of a hybrid motor vehicle;

a fuel converter responsive to an alternating current for receiving water and converting said water into hydrogen and for storing said hydrogen in a hydrogen storage device prior to the starting of the hybrid motor vehicle or during the operation of the hybrid electric vehicle;

a fuel converter for converting a composition fuel in a first state into hydrogen during operation of the hybrid vehicle;

a composition fuel storage device located within said hybrid motor vehicle for storing said composition fuel in a first state and for applying said composition fuel in said first state to said fuel converter for converting said composition fuel into hydrogen prior to or during operation of the hybrid motor vehicle and storing said hydrogen in said hydrogen storage device;

a driving system for transporting a hybrid motor vehicle, said driving system including

a direct current motor operatively coupled to said driving system and to said direct current voltage storage device, said direct current motor being responsive to a stored direct current voltage for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal;

a fuel cell operatively coupled to the hydrogen storage device for converting hydrogen into direct current for at least one of storing direct current in a direct current voltage storage device or applying in response to a second control signal a direct current voltage to said direct current motor for driving said direct current motor; and

a control device operatively connected to said direct current motor, said direct current voltage storage device and said fuel cell to selectively apply at a first control signal to said direct current voltage storage device or a second control signal to said fuel cell to enable said driving system to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage from said direct current voltage storage device or direct current voltage from said fuel cell.

6. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 5 further comprising

a hydrogen-generating unit operatively connected to a fuel storage tank and to said hydrogen storage device for receiving a a hydrocarbon containing fuel and for generating hydrogen therefrom and prior to starting or operation of the driving system for a hybrid motor vehicle and storing hydrogen in said hydrogen storage device and wherein said direct current motor can be operated alternatively on hydrogen generated by said hydrogen-generating unit or hydrogen stored in said hydrogen storage device;

7. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein said control device selectively applies both said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said fuel cell to enable said driving system to be concurrently driven by said direct current voltage from said direct current storage device and direct current from said fuel cell.

8. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 5 wherein said alternating current to direct current converter includes

a direct current control device for controlling the direct current characteristics of the direct current voltage and for applying said direct current voltage having said predetermined characteristics to said direct current voltage storage device.

9. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 5 further comprising

an organic fuel storage device located within said hybrid motor vehicle for storing said organic fuel in a first state and for applying said organic fuel in said first state to said fuel converter for converting said organic fuel into hydrogen.

10. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein said control device enables said fuel converter to respond to an alternating current voltage for converting said composition fuel in said first state into hydrogen and storing said hydrogen in said hydrogen storage device.

11. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein said fuel cell comprises

a hydrogen to direct current generator operatively connected to said hydrogen storage device for producing a direct current voltage.

12. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 11 wherein said control device applies said direct current voltage produced by said hydrogen to direct current generator to said direct current voltage storage device or said direct current motor.

13. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 11 wherein said control device enables the production of a direct current voltage from at least one of an alternating current source and said hydrogen to direct current generator.

14. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 11 wherein said control device enables the production of a direct current voltage from an alternating current source or said hydrogen to direct current generator and applies the produced direct current voltage to said direct current voltage storage device.

15. The hybrid motor vehicle of claim 11 wherein said control device enables the production of a direct current voltage from an alternating current source or hydrogen to direct current generator and applies the produced direct current voltage to said direct current motor or said direct current voltage storage device.

16. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 15 wherein said control device applies the produced direct current voltage concurrently to said direct current motor and said direct current voltage storage device.

17. A dual electrical source for a motor vehicle comprising

an alternating current to direct current converting system located on a motor vehicle, said converting system being adapted to receive an alternating current voltage and being responsive thereto for producing a direct current voltage;

a direct current voltage storage device located on said motor vehicle for storing said direct current voltage;

a fuel converter responsive to an alternating current for receiving water and converting said water into hydrogen and for storing said hydrogen in a hydrogen storage device prior to the starting of the motor vehicle;

a driving system for transporting a motor vehicle, said driving system including

a direct current motor operatively coupled to said driving system, said direct current motor being responsive to a stored direct current voltage for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal;

a fuel cell operatively coupled to the hydrogen storage device for converting hydrogen into direct current for storing direct current in a direct current voltage storage device or applying in response to a second control signal a direct current voltage to said direct current motor for driving said direct current motor; and

a control device operatively connected to said direct current motor, said direct current voltage storage device and said fuel cell to selectively apply a first control signal to said direct current voltage storage device or a second control signal to said fuel cell to enable said driving system to be driven by said direct current voltage from said direct current voltage storage device or direct current voltage from said fuel cell.