WHEEL DRIVE ARCHITECTURE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20130041536A1
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tata Technologies, Pte. Ltd. (Tata Technologies Ltd. (India))
• Original Assignee: Tata Technologies, Pte. Ltd. (Tata Technologies Ltd. (India))
• Inventors: Fisher, Kevin, Power, Kevin John, Jones, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US13/561,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/24 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A drive train assembly adapted to control running state performance of at least two wheels of an electrical vehicle wherein the drive train assembly is adapted for the electrical vehicle comprises of two wheel drive or four wheel drive. The said assembly is adapted for working in a driving economy and a normal mode via an embedded controller device.

Claims

1. A drive train assembly adapted to control and optimize running state performance of at least two wheels of an electric vehicle, comprising:

at least two front steerable wheels and at least two rear non-steered wheel, each wheel individually coupled with a motor;

a drive means electrically coupled with each motor for driving the coupled wheel independent of other wheel of said electric vehicle; and

an embedded controller device and a memory having executable instructions to control and coordinate varying frequency of inverters attached to vehicle wheel motors based on driver inputs including steering angle, acceleration, brake force, and feedback value as input parameters from each wheel thereby selectively controlling speed of wheels resulting in coordinated driving performance of the vehicle.

2. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the electrical vehicle configured for two wheel drive or four wheel drive.

3. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising a means for initiating a limp mode for enabling to reduce the power consumption.

4. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising Park, Neutral, Reverse, Drive (PNRD) means adapted to provide indication to park, engages forward direction or reverse direction, the PRND means comprises of sensor.

5. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein the PRND means can include two modes of drive comprises of sport and economy mode.

6. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the steer angle is determined by steering angle sensors connected with two or four wheels coupled with controller to provide signals for enabling wheels displacement in coordinated manner respectively.

7. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the inverters convert direct current power into three phase electricity of varying frequency for enabling the speed control of vehicle.

8. A drive train assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a response time of the embedded controller device is less than 10 milliseconds upon receiving the inputs from a driver.

9. A method adapted to control and optimize running state performance of at least two wheels of an electric vehicle via an embedded controller device adapted to control state values including rotational speed value, steering angle, and brake force of the vehicle, the method comprising;

sensing a first state value of the vehicle;

receiving a request for second state values of the vehicle from vehicle driver;

altering the first state values of the vehicle to the second state values by controlling the driver input to the corresponding wheel;

calculating running state coordination ratio of at least two wheels; and

controlling the operation of drive means, and motors in accordance with running state coordination ratio of at least two wheels of the electric vehicle.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising initiating a limp mode for enabling to reduce the power consumption.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the electrical vehicle configured for two wheel drive or four wheel drive.