HYBRID VARIANT AUTOMOBILE DRIVE

• US 20120211286A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Samuel, Woodson Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 8,714,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/2.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hybrid variant automobile drive which improves a fuel efficiency of the automobile while retaining an acceleration profile of the automobile. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an engine, wheels, and/or a supplemental motor. The engine primarily drives the wheels, but can be aided by the supplemental motor. An amount of force supplied by the engine can be dependent on an amount of force supplied by the supplemental motor. The supplemental motor uses alternative energy sources aside from the fuel used by the engine to drive the wheels. The supplemental motor can be powered by a capacitor which is charged by an energy generation unit. The energy generation unit can generate energy using, for example, solar panels, a ram induction generator, a regenerative braking unit, and/or a heat exchange unit.

Claims

1. An automobile comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

an engine configured to drive the plurality of wheels;

a supplemental motor configured to drive the plurality of wheels; and

a capacitor configured to power the supplemental motor.

2. The automobile of claim 1 further comprising an energy generation unit configured to charge the capacitor.

3. The automobile of claim 2 wherein the energy generation unit includes a solar panel, a ram induction generator, a regenerative braking unit, or a heat exchange unit.

4. The automobile of claim 1 wherein the engine is an internal combustion engine, and the supplemental motor is configured to operate while the engine is operating.

5. The automobile of claim 1 further comprising a catalytic converter connected to the engine and generating heat, wherein the energy generation unit includes a heat exchange unit including a core unit and an energy generation module to generate energy using the heat generated by the catalytic converter.

6. The automobile of claim 1 wherein an amount of force supplied by the engine to drive the plurality of wheels is based on an amount of force supplied by the supplemental motor to drive the plurality of wheels.

7. The automobile of claim 1 further comprising an engine control unit connected to the engine and the supplemental motor.

8. The automobile of claim 7 wherein the engine control unit controls an operation of the engine based on an operation of the supplemental motor.

9. The automobile of claim 7 wherein the engine control unit is connected to a capacitor, and the engine control unit controls an operation of the engine based on a charge of the capacitor.

10. An automobile comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

an engine configured to drive the plurality of wheels;

a supplemental motor configured to drive the plurality of wheels, and operate while the engine is operating, wherein an amount of force supplied by the engine to drive the plurality of wheels is based on an amount of force supplied by the supplemental motor to drive the plurality of wheels;

a capacitor configured to power the supplemental motor; and

an energy generation unit configured to charge the capacitor.

11. The automobile of claim 10 wherein the energy generation unit includes a heat exchange unit, a solar panel, a ram induction generator, or a regenerative braking unit.

12. The automobile of claim 11 further comprising a catalytic converter connected to the engine and generating heat, and the energy generation unit includes the heat exchange unit, wherein the heat exchange unit generates energy using the heat generated by the catalytic converter.

13. The automobile of claim 10 further comprising an engine control unit connected to the engine and the supplemental motor.

14. The automobile of claim 13 wherein the engine control unit controls an operation of the engine based on an operation of the supplemental motor.

15. The automobile of claim 13 wherein the engine control unit is connected to a capacitor, and the engine control unit controls an operation of the engine based on a charge of the capacitor.

16. A method for driving a plurality of wheels in an automobile comprising:

driving a plurality of wheels using an engine;

driving the plurality of wheels using a supplemental motor, wherein an amount of force supplied by the engine to drive the plurality of wheels is based on an amount of force supplied by the supplemental motor to drive the plurality of wheels; and

powering the supplemental motor using a capacitor.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising charging the capacitor using a solar panel, a ram induction generator, or a regenerative braking unit.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising charging the capacitor, using a heat exchange unit, from heat generated by a catalytic converter.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising controlling an operation of the engine based on an operation of the supplemental motor, or a charge of the capacitor.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising operating the supplemental motor while the engine is operating.