VEHICLE

• US 20100089671A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ktm-Sportmotorcycle AG (Ktm Ag)
• Original Assignee: Ktm-Sportmotorcycle AG (Ktm Ag)
• Inventors: Trunkenpolz, Johann
• Application Number:
  US12/449,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20100089671A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.230
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• 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 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• 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: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 23/02 characterised by the use of two or more dissimilar sources of power, e.g. transmissions for hybrid motorcycles transmissions for wheeled vehicles using rider propulsion with additional source of power B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/02 with engine between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/12 with the engine beside or within the driven wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Proposed is a vehicle having at least one front wheel (2) drivable by means of an electric motor and at least one drivable rear wheel (3) as well as an internal combustion engine (4) supplying the front wheel (2) and rear wheel (3) with drive energy, the internal combustion engine (4) being coupled to a starter generator (16) for starting the internal combustion engine (4) and furnishing electrical drive energy for driving the front wheel (2).

Claims

1. A vehicle having at least one front wheel (2) drivable by an electric motor and at least one drivable rear wheel (3) as well as an internal combustion engine (4) supplying the front wheel (2) and rear wheel (3) with drive energy, wherein the internal combustion engine (4) is coupled to a starter generator (16) for starting the internal combustion engine (4) and furnishing electrical drive energy for driving the front wheel (2).

2. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a first vehicle electric circuit having a first voltage for supplying electric consumers different from the electric motor and a second vehicle electric circuit having a second higher voltage for supplying the electric motor with electrical energy, the voltages being made available by means of the starter generator (16).

3. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electric motor is a wheel hub motor (11) comprising a stator (34) non-rotatably connected to a wheel axle (35) and a rotor (47) rotatably mounted on the wheel axle (35), the rotation of which drives the front wheel (2) in rotation.

4. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a gearing between the front wheel (2) and the rotor (47), and the rotor (47) and front wheel (2) have opposing directions of rotation.

5. The vehicle as set forth in claim 4, wherein the gearing is a planetary gear system (58) and further comprising a freewheel (54) between the front wheel (2) and the wheel hub motor (11).

6. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the force between the electric motor and a rim of the front wheel (2) is transmitted substantially as a tractive and/or thrusting force.

7. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein either the electric motor or the starter generator (16) is fluid-cooled.

8. The vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein the stator (34) is provided with circumferentially arranged coolant passages (39) for receiving coolant liquid and the passages (39) are closed off from the outside by a sleeve-shaped member (44) provided with seals and the stator (25) being connectable to a coolant circuit.

9. The vehicle as set forth in claim 8, wherein the stator (35) comprises in a radially inboard portion an inlet and an outlet for the coolant.

10. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the wheel hub motor (11) is as an external rotor motor arranged within the wheel hub (10) of the front wheel (2) and the outer diameter of the rotor (47) extends into the region of the inner diameter of the wheel hub (10).

11. The vehicle as set forth in claim 10, wherein the rotor (47) of the wheel hub motor (11) is pot-shaped and comprises a boss (49) at which a toothing (50) is meshable with planet wheels (51) of a planetary gear system (58) rotatably mounted on a common web (53) and meshing with an annulus (55) of the planetary gear system (58), and the annulus (55) being rotatably mounted on the wheel hub (10).

12. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the starter generator (16) provides electrical drive energy for a rear wheel (3) of the vehicle drivable by means of an electric motor.

13. The vehicle as set forth in claim 12, wherein the starter generator (16) is directly coupled to a crankshaft (20) of the internal combustion engine (4), and features a rotor (21) rotatable about an inboard stator (25) comprising at least one coolant passage (32).

14. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the starter generator (16) actuates a crank assembly of the internal combustion engine (4) before starting thereof into rotation into a shaft position remote from top-dead center contrary to the direction of rotation of the crank assembly during operation of the internal combustion engine (4), and to then accelerate the crank assembly in the direction of rotation.

15. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an electrical energy storage system (13) for receiving electrical energy from the starter generator (16), this system supplying at least one electric motor for driving the front wheel (2) with electrical drive energy, and the system providing electrical drive energy to start the internal combustion engine (4) by means of the starter generator (16).

16. The vehicle as set forth in claim 15, wherein the electrical energy storage system (13) is integrated in the circuitry of the vehicle, the circuitry having a voltage exceeding 60V, and the circuitry comprises a capacitor (15) to cover peak loads.

17. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electric motor drives the front wheel (2) with such rotary speed control that the rotary speed of the front wheel (2) follows a leading rotary speed of the rear wheel (3).

18. The vehicle as set forth in claim 17, wherein the electric motor drives the front wheel (2) in a torque-controlled manner such that the front wheel (2) is actuated depending on a driving resistance occurring at the front wheel (2) irrespective of the operating condition of the rear wheel (3).

19. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a control system (17) for controlling the torque output by the electric motor as a function of selectable or sensor-detected operating conditions of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle as set forth in claim 19, wherein the control system (17) evaluates the operating conditions for automatic activation of the electric motor of the front wheel (2) by a rider of the vehicle.

21. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front wheel is a front wheel (2) of a motorcycle (1) mounted on a wheel axle (35) rotatable between tubular members of a front wheel fork (5) of the motorcycle (1).

22. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front wheel is a front wheel of a vehicle having more than two wheels.

23. A method for actuating a two-wheeler vehicle for propulsion by means of an electric motor driving the front wheel (2) and an internal combustion engine (4) driving the rear wheel (3) or an electric motor, comprising the step of taking from a vehicle electric circuit fed by means of a starter generator (16) driven by the internal combustion engine (4) the electrical energy for driving the electric motor.