ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR GYROSCOPIC STABILIZED VEHICLE

• US 20110231041A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lit Motors Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lit Motors Corporation
• Inventors: Bretney, Kevin, Kim, Daniel Kee Young
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/06 using gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/02 with two road wheels in tandem on the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/08 Hoods protecting the rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/00 Motorcycles, engine-assisted cycles or motor scooters with one or two wheels fairings or streamlining parts not forming part of the frame B62J; transmission of drive from engines to wheels B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/12 with the engine beside or within the driven wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention may transfer energy from a flywheel motor-generator to a capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of a vehicle, and transfer energy from a drive wheel motor-generator to a capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle.

Said flywheel motor-generator may function to transfer energy to and from a flywheel included in a gyroscope-stabilizer of the vehicle, while said capacitor bank, which includes a battery, may function to transfer energy to and from a drive wheel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a drive wheel motor-generator to transfer energy to and from a drive wheel of a vehicle;

a flywheel motor-generator to transfer energy to and from a flywheel included in a gyroscope-stabilizer of the vehicle;

a capacitor bank including a battery; and

a power controller to

transfer energy from the flywheel motor-generator to the capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of the vehicle, and

transfer energy from the drive wheel motor-generator to the capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, the power controller to further:

transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the drive wheel motor-generator in response to detecting the input to increase the speed of the vehicle, and

transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator in response to detecting the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, the power controller to

transfer energy not required by the drive-wheel motor to at least one of the capacitor bank and the battery in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of the vehicle, and

transfer energy not required by the flywheel to at least one of the capacitor bank and the battery in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle

4. The system of claim 1, the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle comprises an input to engage a braking system of the vehicle, the braking system to generate energy transferrable from the drive wheel motor-generator.

5. The system of claim 1, the power controller to further transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator based, at least in part, on whether the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, the power controller to further

determine the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle;

and

transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator in response to determining the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle.

7. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to transfer energy from a flywheel motor-generator to a capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of a vehicle, the flywheel motor-generator to transfer energy to and from a flywheel included in a gyroscope-stabilizer of the vehicle; and

circuitry to transfer energy from a drive wheel motor-generator to the capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle, the capacitor bank to include a battery, the drive wheel motor-generator to transfer energy to and from a drive wheel of the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

circuitry to transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the drive wheel motor-generator in response to detecting the input to increase the speed of the vehicle; and

circuitry to transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator in response to detecting the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

circuitry to transfer energy not required by the drive-wheel motor to at least one of the capacitor bank and the battery in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of the vehicle; and

circuitry to transfer energy not required by the flywheel to at least one of the capacitor bank and the battery in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle comprises an input to engage a braking system of the vehicle, the braking system to generate energy transferrable from the drive wheel motor-generator.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

circuitry to further transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator based, at least in part, on whether the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

logic to determine the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle; and

circuitry to transfer energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator in response to determining the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle.

13. A method comprising:

transferring energy from a flywheel motor-generator to a capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of a vehicle, the flywheel motor-generator to transfer energy to and from a flywheel included in a gyroscope-stabilizer of the vehicle, and

transferring energy from a drive wheel motor-generator to the capacitor bank in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle, the capacitor bank to include a battery, the drive wheel motor-generator to transfer energy to and from a drive wheel of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transferring energy from the capacitor bank to the drive wheel motor-generator in response to detecting the input to increase the speed of the vehicle, and

transferring energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator in response to detecting the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising

transferring energy not required by the drive-wheel motor to at least one of the capacitor bank and the battery in response to detecting an input to increase the speed of the vehicle, and

transferring energy not required by the flywheel to at least one of the capacitor bank and the battery in response to detecting an input to decrease the speed of the vehicle

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle comprises an input to engage a braking system of the vehicle, the braking system to generate energy transferrable from the drive wheel motor-generator.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising

transferring energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator based, at least in part, on whether the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising

determining the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle;

and

transferring energy from the capacitor bank to the flywheel motor-generator in response to determining the input to decrease the speed of the vehicle will affect stability of the vehicle.