Flywheel drive system having a split electromechanical transmission
First Claim
1. A combination electromechanical drive system utilizing a flywheel as the principal power source, comprising:
- a flywheel mounted for rotation within a housing and having a shaft connected thereto;
a differential planetary transmission having a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears coupled to a carrier, and a ring gear together with first, second and third terminals, the first terminal being coupled directly to the flywheel shaft;
a first output shaft coupled to the second terminal in a first mechanical power transmission path; and
a second electrical power transmission path comprising first and second motor/generator machines electrically connected together with a controller to control the amount of electric power transmitted thereby, the first machine being mechanically coupled to the planetary transmission third terminal and the second machine having a second output shaft for transmitting rotary mechanical power.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle propulsion system including a split path, electromechanical transmission for use with a flywheel as a power source. One path comprises a mechanical drive train extending between the flywheel power source and the vehicle drive wheels or other power output. The other path comprises an electromechanical drive train of which the mechanical portion is shared with the mechanical drive train by virtue of a common planetary gear arrangement for dividing or combining the power transmitted from or to the flywheel. A battery may be included in the system to make up certain losses from operation and to provide the initial start-up power. A simplified control system is provided to control the transmission of power over the separate parallel paths.
171 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A combination electromechanical drive system utilizing a flywheel as the principal power source, comprising:
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a flywheel mounted for rotation within a housing and having a shaft connected thereto; a differential planetary transmission having a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears coupled to a carrier, and a ring gear together with first, second and third terminals, the first terminal being coupled directly to the flywheel shaft; a first output shaft coupled to the second terminal in a first mechanical power transmission path; and a second electrical power transmission path comprising first and second motor/generator machines electrically connected together with a controller to control the amount of electric power transmitted thereby, the first machine being mechanically coupled to the planetary transmission third terminal and the second machine having a second output shaft for transmitting rotary mechanical power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A split electromechanical power transmission system for operation on kinetic energy stored in a flywheel as the principal power source, comprising:
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a rotatable flywheel for storing kinetic energy; a differential planetary transmission for dividing power between a first mechanical power transmission path and a second electrical power transmission path;
the transmission including a first terminal coupled directly to the flywheel, a second terminal coupled to a first output shaft in said mechanical power transmission path, and a third terminal coupled to a generator for generating current for application to a motor connected in said electrical power transmission path and having a second output shaft; anda controller for controlling the division of power between the electrical and the mechanical power transmission paths. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A vehicle propulsion system comprising:
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a rotatable flywheel mounted on a shaft and constituting the principal power source for the system; a differential planetary transmission having a first terminal coupled directly to the flywheel shaft, a second terminal and a third terminal; a mechanical power transmission path comprising a first drive shaft coupled to the second terminal; an electrical power transmission path comprising first and second motor/generator machines, each having a rotatable armature, the armatures being electrically connected together for transfer of current therebetween, the armature of the first machine being mechanically coupled to the third terminal of the planetary transmission and the armature of the second machine having a second drive shaft for transmitting rotary mechanical power; means for controlling the direction and magnitude of current from one armature to the other; and means for connecting said first and second drive shafts to drive the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. The method of controlling the transmission of power in a vehicle propulsion system between a flywheel rotating as a source of stored kinetic energy constituting the principal power source in the system and the drive wheels of the vehicle comprising the steps of:
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initially driving the flywheel to an elevated rotational speed while maintaining the vehicle drive system stationary in order to store kinetic energy in the flywheel for sustained operation of the vehicle; dividing the power from the flywheel between an electrical transmission path and a mechanical transmission path by means of a differential transmission coupled directly to the flywheel; controlling the electric current in the electrical transmission path in order to determine the power transmitted thereby from the flywheel to the vehicle drive wheels in response to operator command signals and the system feedback signals and thereby determine the amount of power transmitted over the mechanical transmission path; and applying the power from the electrical transmission path and the mechanical transmission path to propel the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification