Control system for electric hybrid vehicle conversion

• US 20100004807A1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul H. Kydd
• Original Assignee: Paul H. Kydd
• Inventors: Kydd, Paul H
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

A control system is disclosed which permits operation of a Plug-in Hybrid IC-Electric Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) in either parallel electric hybrid or IC modes with a single accelerator pedal. The operation of the electrical equipment is optimized to provide maximum electric power as long as the battery has useable capacity while being completely transparent to the driver. This control system is particularly suitable for converting an existing vehicle to a PHEV.

Claims

1. An electrical control system for a plug-in IC-electric hybrid vehicle comprising:

A current limiting Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) motor controller,

A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) with at least three digital and one analog inputs and at least one relay output

Switches providing digital input to the PLC,

Means to provide an analog input to the PLC proportional to the battery state of charge,

A switch linked to the IC engine accelerator pedal of the vehicle to provide power to the PWM motor controller during an accelerator input from the driver.

2. The control system in claim 1 in which the switch is operated by a pedal which overlaps the IC engine accelerator pedal such that the electric motor is brought to full load before the IC engine throttle opens.

3. The control system in claim 1 in which the switch is located on top of the IC engine accelerator pedal such that the electric motor is brought to full load before the IC engine throttle opens.

4. The control system in claim 1 in which the PLC output relay operates in series with the switch on the accelerator pedal to interrupt power to the PWM controller when the PLC inputs are incorrect.

5. The control system in claim 1 in which the PLC digital inputs include 12 V relative to vehicle ground from the brake light switch and from the reverse light switch of the vehicle and from a switch on the clutch pedal of a standard shift vehicle when the clutch pedal is depressed or from a switch on the transmission of an automatic transmission vehicle when the transmission is in “

Park”

.

6. The control system in claim 1 in which the analog input is transmitted from a voltage divider to the PLC via an optical isolator to isolate the battery supply from vehicle ground.

7. The control system in claim 1 in which the analog input is taken from one battery as a sample of the entire series of batteries.

8. The control system in claim 1 in which the analog battery voltage signal is compared to a standard value by the PLC and in which a battery voltage below a preset limit for rest voltage persisting for a preset time results in a logical negative signal from the comparator.

9. The control system in claim 1 in which the analog battery voltage signal is compared to a standard value by the PLC and in which a battery voltage below a preset limit for instantaneous voltage results in a logical negative signal from the comparator.

10. The control system in claim 1 in which a negative logical signal resulting from low battery voltage is latched rendering the electrical propulsion system nonfunctional until the battery is charged to above a preset voltage.

11. The control system in claim 1 in which positive signals from the digital inputs are converted to negative logic signals, and in which the logic signals from the digital and analog inputs are summed in an and gate to produce a signal closing the output relay and powering the PWM controller when all four logic inputs are positive and opening the output relay to inhibit or terminate electric operation when any one of the four logic signals goes negative.

12. The control system in claim 1 in which the PWM controller is a commercially available DC motor controller and the accelerator pedal switch is a pot box providing a variable resistance output and an on off output enabling variable power output from the electric motor(s) with current limiting on the output of the controller.

13. The control system in claim 1 in which the PWM controller limits the input current from the battery.

14. The PWM in claim 13 in which the accelerator pedal switch is a pot box providing a variable resistance output and an on off output enabling variable power output from the electric motor(s).

15. The PWM in claim 13 in which the accelerator pedal switch is a simple on off switch and the PWM controller functions only as a battery current limiter.

16. The PWM in claim 13 which includes a regenerative braking function in addition to its current limiting function and in which the regenerative braking function is initiated by a switch on the accelerator pedal.

17. The PWM in claim 13 which includes a regenerative braking function in addition to its current limiting function and in which the regenerative braking function is initiated by a pot box on the brake pedal.

18. The PWM in claim 13 in which the PWM controller and the PLC are supplied as a single unit.

19. The control system in claim 1 in which the PWM controller and the PLC, together with a battery charger and an optional inverter to provide AC output power from the DC battery pack and to enable V2G operation, as well as contactors, fuses and other electrical and electronic parts are supplied as a prewired unit in a single enclosure to permit ready conversion of existing vehicles to PHEVs.

20. The method of converting an existing vehicle into a PHEV by installing the control system of claim 19 with suitable drive components, batteries, wiring and instrumentation.

21. The vehicle converted to a PHEV by the method of claim 20.