KINETIC ENERGY RECOVERY AND HYDRAULIC DRIVE FOR VEHICLES

• US 20140305260A1
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KersTech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: KersTech, Inc.
• Inventors: Erlston, Lester J., Miles, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,702,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/665.A
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/50 Structural details of electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/32 Driving direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 33/02 Rotary transmissions with mechanical accumulators, e.g. weights, springs, intermittently-connected flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/92 : Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19051 : Single driven plural drives

Abstract

A kinetic energy recovery and electric drive system for automotive vehicles comprises an electric pancake motor-generator having its stator housing coupled, combined or integrated with the gearbox housing of a gearbox or final drive mechanism and its rotor shaft oriented vertically and perpendicular to the drive-shaft or drive axle of the vehicle. In certain embodiments the pancake motor rotor may be fitted or integral with a perpendicular peripheral stiffening flange in which is located a plurality of equally spaced permanent magnets of alternating polarity that electromagnetically engage with electromagnets of the pancake motor-generator stator. To facilitate retrofitting to existing vehicles the system may include an autonomous hybrid controller that includes at least one sensor to detect motion of the vehicle and/or motor without requiring any interface or integration with the vehicle'"'"'s subsystems.

Claims

1. A kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism for a powered vehicle such as an automobile, bus, truck, rail vehicle or other similar powered vehicles, the powered vehicle including a driveshaft (21, 234) coupling an internal combustion engine (227) and a transmission (17, 217) to a final drive mechanism (16, 262) which is coupled via one or more axles (20, 260) to one or more wheels (29,226), the driveshaft (21, 234) and axles (20, 260) axially arranged in a horizontal orientation;

the kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism comprising;

a pancake format, large diameter hydraulic motor (11, 211) having a stator housing (14, 214) and a rotor (10, 110, 210) having a rotor shaft (12, 212) rotatable about a vertical axis; and

a right angle gearbox (216) mounted such that the right angle gearbox housing (18, 218) is fixedly coupled to the stator housing (14, 214);

the pancake format, large diameter motor (11, 211) further being mounted so that the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft (12, 212) is oriented substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular relative to the driveshaft (21, 234) of the vehicle so that a diameter of the motor (11, 211) extends in a plane substantially parallel to the driveshaft (21, 234); and

the right angle gearbox (216) being affixed to or integral with the stator housing (14, 214) of the pancake format motor (11, 211) and including a right angle bevel gearset (239) that engages the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal driveshaft (21, 234) to enable the perpendicular transmission of drive from the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal driveshaft (21, 234) of the vehicle;

thereby enabling the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) to be mounted in the vehicle driveline for a low center of gravity and with minimal encroachment on vehicle interior space or ground clearance.

2. The kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles of claim 1 in which the vehicle is a rear engined, rear drive vehicle including a rear axle (260), a rear final drive mechanism (262), a driveshaft (234), a transmission (217) and an engine (227) positioned rearward of the rear axle (260), the driveshaft (234) coupling the final drive mechanism (262) to the transmission (217) via universal joints (235) located at each end of the driveshaft (234) and the engine (227) mounted aft of the transmission (217), the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) located under the transmission (217) or engine (227) with its rotor shaft vertically oriented, the right angle gearbox (216) drivably couples the rotor shaft (12) with a horizontally oriented layshaft (268) that is drivably coupled to the driveshaft (234) via a bidirectional power coupling mechanism (270).

3. The kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles of claim 2 in which the horizontal layshaft (268) is drivably coupled by means of gears (278, 280), chains or toothed belts to the driveshaft (234) by the use of a gear (278), a sprocket or a grooved or toothed pulley integral or combined with a yoke (276B) of a universal joint (235) coupling the driveshaft (234) to the transmission (217).

4. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 1 in which the stator housing (14, 214) of the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) is affixed to or integrated with the right angle gearbox housing (18, 218) of the right angle gearbox (216) either above the right angle gearbox (216) or under the right angle gearbox (216).

5. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 1 in which the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) includes a housing (14, 214) and the right angle gearbox (216) includes a housing (18, 218) in which the housings are coupled or integrated together.

6. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 1 in which the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) includes a vertical rotor shaft (12) which engages via a power transmission mechanism selected from a group including gear drives and friction drives including single ratio, multiple changeable ratios or continuously variable ratios, to the right angle gearbox (216) or to a power transmission mechanism selected from a group including a gear drive or friction drive located on the driveshaft (21) or transmission output shaft adjacent to the right angle gearbox (216).

7. The kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism for a powered vehicle such as an automobile, bus, truck, rail vehicle or other similar powered vehicles, the powered vehicle including a driveshaft (21, 234) coupling an internal combustion engine (227) and a transmission (17, 217) to a final drive mechanism (16, 262) which is coupled via one or more axles (20, 260) to one or more wheels (29,226), the driveshaft (21, 234) and axles (20, 260) axially arranged in a horizontal orientation;

the kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism comprising;

a pancake format, large diameter hydraulic motor (11, 211) having a stator housing (14, 214) and a rotor (10, 110, 210) having a rotor shaft (12, 212) rotatable about a vertical axis; and

the final drive mechanism (16) having a final drive housing (18) fixedly coupled to the stator housing (14, 214);

the pancake format, large diameter motor (11, 211) mounted so that the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft (12, 212) is oriented substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular relative to the axle (20, 260) of the vehicle so that a diameter of the motor (11, 211) extends in a plane substantially parallel to the axle (20, 260); and

the final drive mechanism (16, 262) including a right angle bevel gearset (239) that engages the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal axle (20, 260) to enable the perpendicular transmission of drive from the vertical rotor shaft (12, 212) to the horizontal axle (20, 260) of the vehicle;

thereby enabling a pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) to be mounted to the final drive mechanism (16, 262) for low center of gravity and with minimal encroachment on vehicle interior space or ground clearance.

8. The kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles of claim 7 in which the vehicle is a rear engined, rear drive vehicle including a rear axle (260), a rear final drive mechanism (262), a driveshaft (234), a transmission (217) and an engine (227) positioned rearward of the rear axle (260), the driveshaft (234) coupling the final drive mechanism (262) to the transmission (217) via universal joints (235) located at each end of the driveshaft (234) and the engine (227) mounted aft of the transmission (217), the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) located under the transmission (217) or engine (227) with its rotor shaft vertically oriented, the right angle gearbox (216) drivably couples the rotor shaft (12) with a horizontally oriented layshaft (268) that is drivably coupled to the driveshaft (234) via a bidirectional power coupling mechanism (270).

9. The kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles of claim 7 in which the horizontal layshaft (268) is drivably coupled by means of gears (278, 280), chains or toothed belts to the driveshaft (234) by the use of a gear (278), a sprocket or a grooved or toothed pulley integral or combined with a yoke (276B) of a universal joint (235) coupling the driveshaft (234) to the transmission (217).

10. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 7 in which the stator housing (14, 214) of the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) is affixed to or integrated with the right angle gearbox housing (18, 218) of the right angle gearbox (216) either above the right angle gearbox (216) or under the right angle gearbox (216).

11. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 7 in which the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) includes a housing (14, 214) and the right angle gearbox (216) includes a housing (18, 218) in which the housings are coupled or integrated together.

12. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 7 in which the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) includes a vertical rotor shaft (12) which engages via a power transmission mechanism selected from a group including gear drives and friction drives including single ratio, multiple changeable ratios or continuously variable ratios, to the right angle gearbox (216) or to a power transmission mechanism selected from a group including a gear drive or friction drive located on the driveshaft (21) or transmission output shaft adjacent to the right angle gearbox (216).

13. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 7 in which the stator housing (14, 214) of the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) is affixed to or integrated with the final drive mechanism (16) either above the final drive mechanism (16) or under the final drive mechanism (16).

14. A kinetic energy recovery and drive for powered vehicles according to claim 7 in which the pancake format large diameter motor (11, 211) includes a vertical rotor shaft (12) which engages via a power transmission mechanism selected from a group including gear drives and friction drives including single ratio, multiple changeable ratios or continuously variable ratios to the final drive mechanism (16) or to a power transmission mechanism selected from a group including a gear drive or friction drive located on the driveshaft (21) or transmission output shaft adjacent to the final drive mechanism (16).