PARALLEL POWER SUPPLIES FOR HEV APPLICATIONS
First Claim
1. A suspension module comprising:
- at least one suspension component;
a pair of wheel hubs that are coupled to the at least one suspension component, each wheel hub being adapted to be mounted to a vehicle wheel; and
an auxiliary drive system having a pair of drive units, an auxiliary battery, an auxiliary battery charger and a controller, each of the drive units having an electric motor that is selectively operable for providing drive torque that is transmitted to an associated one of the wheel hubs, the controller being configured to operate in a first mode wherein an output of the auxiliary battery charger is employed to charge the auxiliary battery;
the controller also being configured to operate in a second mode wherein the output of the auxiliary battery charger and an output of the auxiliary battery are employed to power the electric motors of the drive units.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A suspension module that includes a suspension component, a pair of wheel hubs coupled to the at least one suspension component and an auxiliary drive system. Each wheel hub is mounted to a vehicle wheel. The auxiliary drive system has a pair of drive units, an auxiliary battery, an auxiliary battery charger and a controller. Each of the drive units has an electric motor that is selectively operable for providing drive torque that is transmitted to an associated one of the wheel hubs. The controller is configured to operate in a first mode wherein an output of the auxiliary battery charger is employed to charge the auxiliary battery. The controller is also configured to operate in a second mode wherein the output of the auxiliary battery charger and an output of the auxiliary battery are employed to power the electric motors of the drive units.
82 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A suspension module comprising:
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at least one suspension component; a pair of wheel hubs that are coupled to the at least one suspension component, each wheel hub being adapted to be mounted to a vehicle wheel; and an auxiliary drive system having a pair of drive units, an auxiliary battery, an auxiliary battery charger and a controller, each of the drive units having an electric motor that is selectively operable for providing drive torque that is transmitted to an associated one of the wheel hubs, the controller being configured to operate in a first mode wherein an output of the auxiliary battery charger is employed to charge the auxiliary battery;
the controller also being configured to operate in a second mode wherein the output of the auxiliary battery charger and an output of the auxiliary battery are employed to power the electric motors of the drive units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
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5. The suspension module of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary drive system further comprises a DC-AC converter that is disposed between the electric motors and the output of auxiliary battery charger.
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9. A method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle having at least one suspension component, a pair of wheel hubs and an auxiliary drive system, the wheel hubs being coupled to the at least one suspension system and being adapted to be mounted to a vehicle wheel, the auxiliary drive system having a pair of drive units, an auxiliary battery, an auxiliary battery charger, each of the drive units having an electric motor that is selectively operable for providing drive torque that is transmitted to an associated one of the wheel hubs, the method comprising:
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operating the auxiliary battery charger to charge the auxiliary battery; and providing electrical energy from both the auxiliary battery and the auxiliary battery charger to power the electric motors. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A suspension module comprising:
- at least one suspension component;
a pair of wheel hubs that are coupled to the at least one suspension component, each wheel hub being adapted to be mounted to a vehicle wheel; and an auxiliary drive system having a pair of drive units, an auxiliary battery, an auxiliary battery charger and a controller, each of the drive units having an electric motor that is selectively operable for providing drive torque that is transmitted to an associated one of the wheel hubs, the controller being configured to operate in a first mode wherein an output of the auxiliary battery charger is employed to charge the auxiliary battery, the controller also being configured to operate in a second mode wherein the output of the auxiliary battery charger and an output of the auxiliary battery are employed to power the electric motors of the drive units;
wherein the controller is operable in a third mode in which only the output of the auxiliary battery charger is employed to power the electric motors of the drive units;wherein the controller is operable in a fourth mode in which an electrical output is generated by the electric motors to charge the auxiliary battery; wherein the auxiliary battery charger includes a DC-DC converter having an output voltage that is less than about 50 VDC; and wherein the at least one suspension component is a twist-beam axle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
- at least one suspension component;
Specification