RIDDEN VEHICLE WITH HYBRID POWER SYSTEM

• US 20130168171A1
• Filed: 12/30/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hero Motocorp. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Anthony Stefanelli, Erik Buell, Giancarlo Battaglini, John C. Fox
• Inventors: BUELL, ERIK, STEFANELLI, ANTHONY, FOX, JOHN, BUNNE, JONATHAN, BATTAGLINI, GIANCARLO, ANTCZAK, CHAD, IWINSKI, DEAN
• Application Number:
  US13/731,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20130168171A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/220
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 35/00 Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K ; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/02 Frames motorcycles or cycles with auxiliary engines characterised by position of engine B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/10 characterised by the engine being over or beside driven rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A motorcycle having at least one seat and at least two wheels, an internal combustion engine, a generator, and a rechargeable battery configured to be recharged by the internal combustion engine or generator, an electric motor electrically connected to the rechargeable battery and configured to drive at least one of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle, and an electronic controller configured to start the internal combustion engine based upon a monitored condition of the rechargeable battery.

Claims

1. A motorized ridden vehicle comprising:

at least one seat and at least two wheels;

an electric motor adapted to drive at least one of the wheels of the ridden vehicle;

at least one rechargeable battery electrically connected to the electric motor and adapted to power the electric motor;

a generator adapted to charge the rechargeable battery;

an internal combustion engine adapted to drive the generator; and

an electronic controller adapted to control operation of the internal combustion engine based upon monitoring a condition of the rechargeable battery.

2. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1 where the internal combustion engine is controlled to maintain operation of the engine in an efficiency range for the engine.

3. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

an electronic controller adapted to start the internal combustion engine based upon a charge level of the rechargeable battery.

4. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

an electronic controller adapted to start the internal combustion engine based upon a rate of discharge of the rechargeable battery.

5. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1 where the electric motor and the internal combustion engine are stacked below the seat of the motorcycle.

6. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 5 where the internal combustion engine is positioned above the electric motor.

7. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 5 where the rechargeable battery is positioned below the seat of the motorcycle.

8. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a fuel tank integrated with the frame and adapted to store fuel for operation of the engine.

9. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the frame further comprises at least one tubular portion housing a fuel line extending from the fuel tank through the at least one tubular portion to the engine.

10. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 8 where the fuel tank is integrated into the frame such that the frame houses the fuel for the internal combustion engine.

11. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 8, where the fuel storage capacity of the integrated fuel tank is between 1 and 15 liters.

12. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the electric motor is capable of producing in excess of 200 horse power.

13. The motorized ridden vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the internal combustion engine has a displacement in excess of 300 cubic centimeters.

14. A motorcycle comprising:

a seat adapted to support at least one rider;

a frame adapted to support the seat and the engine during operation of the motorcycle, the frame comprising a front frame portion having a steering head, a rear frame portion adapted to support the seat and the engine, and a connecting frame portion connecting the front frame portion and the rear frame portion and to support a foot rest for a rider;

an electric motor positioned below the seat and adapted to drive at least one wheel of the motorcycle;

at least one rechargeable battery electrically connected to the electric motor and adapted to power to the electric motor;

a generator adapted to charge the rechargeable batteries;

an internal combustion engine adapted to drive the generator; and

,

a fuel tank integrated with the frame and adapted to store fuel for operation of the generator.

15. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14 comprising in addition an electronic controller adapted to control operation of the internal combustion engine based upon monitoring a condition of the rechargeable battery.

16. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14 the generator is controlled to maintain operation of the internal combustion engine in an efficiency range for the internal combustion engine.

17. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14 where the electric motor and the internal combustion engine are stacked below the seat of the motorcycle.

18. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 17 where the internal combustion engine is positioned above the electric motor.

19. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14 where the rechargeable battery is positioned below the seat of the motorcycle.

20. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14, where the fuel storage capacity of the integrated fuel tank is between 2 and 15 liters.