OVER THE ROAD/TRACTION/CABIN COMFORT RETROFIT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle comprising:
- a drive train, including a manual transmission;
an internal combustion engine coupled to the drive train for propelling the vehicle;
a radiator configured for cooling the internal combustion engine;
a battery;
auxiliary devices for operating auxiliary systems of the vehicle, the auxiliary devices including an air-conditioning coolant compressor and a fan for the radiator;
electric drivers for the auxiliary devices, wherein the electric drivers are energized by the battery;
an electric generator coupled to the internal drive train via an external connection to the internal combustion engine or via an external connection to the manual transmission; and
a battery charger, wherein the battery is energized by the generator via the battery charger, and wherein the internal combustion engine drives the generator.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle includes a drive train having a manual transmission. An internal combustion engine is coupled to the manual transmission via a clutch. Auxiliary devices operate auxiliary systems of the vehicle. A battery energizes electric drivers for the auxiliary devices. A power exchange unit is coupled to the manual transmission via a power takeoff port. An electric generator is coupled to the power exchange unit, and the internal combustion engine drives the generator via the power exchange unit. The battery is energized by the generator via a battery charger.
71 Citations
69 Claims
-
1. A vehicle comprising:
-
a drive train, including a manual transmission; an internal combustion engine coupled to the drive train for propelling the vehicle; a radiator configured for cooling the internal combustion engine; a battery; auxiliary devices for operating auxiliary systems of the vehicle, the auxiliary devices including an air-conditioning coolant compressor and a fan for the radiator; electric drivers for the auxiliary devices, wherein the electric drivers are energized by the battery; an electric generator coupled to the internal drive train via an external connection to the internal combustion engine or via an external connection to the manual transmission; and a battery charger, wherein the battery is energized by the generator via the battery charger, and wherein the internal combustion engine drives the generator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of retrofitting a vehicle having a drive train and an internal combustion engine coupled to a manual transmission of the drive train for propelling the vehicle, and having a radiator for cooling the internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
-
installing a battery; installing auxiliary devices for operating auxiliary systems of the vehicle, including installing an air-conditioning coolant compressor and a fan for the radiator; installing electric drivers for the auxiliary devices, wherein the electric drivers are energized by the battery; installing an electric generator; installing a battery charger wherein the battery is energized by the generator via the battery charger; and coupling the generator to the internal combustion engine via an external connection of the internal combustion engine or to the manual transmission via an external connection of the manual transmission for driving the generator. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
-
-
47. A method for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a clutch in the drive train for disengaging the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission responsive to a clutch pedal being depressed, the method comprising:
-
operating auxiliary devices of the vehicle via electric drives energized by a battery, the auxiliary devices including an air-conditioning coolant compressor and a fan for an engine-cooling radiator; receiving a clutch pedal position sensor signal and a vehicle speed sensor signal by a control device, shutting off the internal combustion engine by the control device in response to detecting an idling condition, including detecting a first condition wherein the control device receives a signal from the vehicle speed sensor indicating the vehicle is in a stationary state and detecting a second condition wherein the control device receives a signal from the clutch pedal position sensor indicating the clutch pedal is in a released state. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65)
-
-
63. The method of claim, wherein the method includes the control device:
-
receiving a temperature sensor signal indicating at least one of an ambient temperature outside a cabin of the vehicle and a temperature inside the cabin; receiving user inputs indicating user selected time for a rest interval and cabin temperature set point; accessing in a memory i) a record stored indicating how much power is required to heat or cool the cabin for predetermined parameters including cabin temperature set point, rest time interval and at least one temperature, or ii) an algorithm stored for calculating the required power as a function of the predetermined parameters; determining, by reading the record or executing the algorithm, a required battery state of charge for the detected at least one temperature and for the received rest time interval and temperature set point; and controlling charging of the battery, including stopping the charging when the battery reaches the required state of charge for the detected at least one temperature and for the received rest time interval and temperature set point.
-
-
66. A method of retrofitting a vehicle having a drive train and an internal combustion engine coupled to a manual transmission of the drive train for propelling the vehicle, the method comprising:
-
removing internal combustion engine drive connections for auxiliary systems, including air conditioning and air brake auxiliary systems; removing auxiliary devices for the auxiliary systems, including an air conditioning coolant compressor and a brake air compressor; mounting a battery; mounting an electric generator; coupling the electric generator to the internal combustion engine via an external connection of the internal combustion engine or to the manual transmission via an external connection of the manual transmission for driving the generator; mounting a battery charger; connecting the battery, battery charger and electric generator, wherein the battery is energized by the generator via the battery charger; preparing a container, wherein the preparing includes; mounting electric drivers and driven auxiliary devices in the container; installing mechanical couplings between respective electric drivers and driven auxiliary devices in the container; piping the driven auxiliary devices in the container to inlets and outlets of the container; and electrically connecting the electric drivers to one or more connectors; installing the prepared container on the vehicle; connecting the one or more connectors of the electric drivers in the container, wherein the electric drivers are energized by the battery; piping the inlets and outlets of the container to auxiliary system piping connections on the vehicle; installing a control device configured to control operation of the electric drivers.
-
-
67. A container for retrofitting a vehicle, the container comprising:
-
electric drivers and corresponding driven auxiliary devices, the driven auxiliary devices including an air-conditioning coolant compressor and an air brake compressor, wherein the electric drivers are mechanically coupled to their respective driven auxiliary devices, the container defining inlets and outlets and wherein intakes and discharges of the driven auxiliary devices are piped to respective ones of the inlets and outlets; and one or more electrical connectors electrically connected to the electric drivers.
-
-
68. A vehicle comprising:
-
a drive train, including a manual transmission; an internal combustion engine coupled to the manual transmission via a clutch; auxiliary devices for operating auxiliary systems of the vehicle; a battery; electric drivers for the auxiliary devices, wherein the electric drivers are energized by the battery; a power exchange unit coupled to the manual transmission via a power takeoff port; an electric generator coupled to the power exchange unit, wherein the internal combustion engine drives the generator via the power exchange unit; and a battery charger, wherein the battery is energized by the generator via the battery charger.
-
-
69. A method for retrofitting a vehicle comprising:
-
a drive train, including a manual transmission; an internal combustion engine coupled to the manual transmission via a clutch; auxiliary devices for operating auxiliary systems of the vehicle; installing a battery; installing electric drivers for the auxiliary devices, including configuring the battery to energize the electric drivers; installing a power exchange unit coupled to the manual transmission via a power takeoff port; installing an electric generator coupled to the power exchange unit, including configuring the internal combustion engine to drive the generator via the power exchange unit; and installing a battery charger, including configuring the battery to energize the generator via the battery charger.
-
Specification