Motor vehicle propulsion system

• US 4,282,948 A
• Filed: 08/01/1979
• Issued: 08/11/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George A. Jerome
• Original Assignee: George A. Jerome
• Inventors: Jerome, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US06/062,673
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 180/165, 180/305, 180/306, 280/216, 280/217, 416/60, 74/572, 192/57, 192/58 R, 192/58 A
• US Class Current: 180/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2117 Power generating-type flywheel

Abstract

Small constant power engine drives liquid filled flywheel to store large amounts of kinetic energy. When motor vehicle acceleration is desired, the flywheel liquid is coupled to a turbine which is connected through a drive train to drive the rear wheels. The transfer of liquid from the flywheel kinetic energy storage to the turbine controls vehicle acceleration.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle propulsion system comprising:

a motor vehicle, wheels on said motor vehicle for supporting, guiding and propelling said motor vehicle, an engine on said motor vehicle, said propulsion system interconnecting said engine and said propelling wheels, said propulsion system comprising two flywheels mounted on said motor vehicle for rotation in opposite directions about a flywheel axis, said engine being connected to rotate said flywheels, said flywheels having liquid therein, said axis being substantially vertical in said vehicle;

a turbine positioned adjacent said flywheels for rotation on said axis, at least one nozzle mounted on at least one of said flywheels and interconnecting such flywheel and said turbine, said turbine being connected to said propelling wheels so that liquid in said nozzled flywheel having kinetic energy by reason of rotation of said flywheel by said engine can be discharged through said nozzle to said turbine to impart kinetic energy to said turbine and through said propelling wheels to said motor vehicle so that kinetic energy of said nozzled flywheel is converted to kinetic energy of vehicle motion, and liquid delivery from said nozzled flywheel to said nozzle to said turbine is controlled by a motor vehicle operator.

2. The motor vehicle propulsion system of claim 1 wherein one of said flywheels is positioned within the other of said flywheels.

3. The motor vehicle propulsion system of claim 1 wherein one of said flywheels is positioned above the other of said flywheels and there is a turbine associated with each of said flywheels.

4. A motor vehicle propulsion system comprising:

a motor vehicle, wheels on said motor vehicle for supporting, guiding and propelling said motor vehicle, an engine on said motor vehicle, said propulsion system interconnecting said engine and said propelling wheels, said propulsion system comprising two flywheels mounted on said motor vehicle for rotation in opposite directions about a flywheel axis, said engine being connected to rotate said flywheels, said flywheels having liquid therein, said axis being substantially vertical in said vehicle;

a turbine positioned adjacent said flywheels for rotation on said axis, at least one nozzle mounted on at least one of said flywheels and interconnecting such flywheel said turbine, said turbine being connected to said propelling wheels so that liquid in said nozzled flywheel having kinetic energy by reason of rotation of said flywheel by said engine can be discharged through said nozzle to said turbine to impart kinetic energy to said turbine and through said propelling wheels to said motor vehicle so that kinetic energy of said nozzled flywheel is converted to kinetic energy of vehicle motion.

5. The motor vehicle propulsion system of claim 4 wherein one of said flywheels is positioned within the other of said flywheels.

6. The motor vehicle propulsion system of claim 4 wherein one of said flywheels is positioned above the other of said flywheels and there is a turbine associated with each of said flywheels.

7. A propulsion system for a motor vehicle comprising:

two hollow flywheels for mounting on a motor vehicle for rotation on an axis in opposite directions with respect thereto, said flywheels being for containing liquid therein and being for rotation by a power source on said motor vehicle;

a turbine mounted with respect to said flywheels for rotation on said axis, at least one nozzle mounted on at least one of said flywheels and interconnecting such flywheel and said turbine, said turbine being for connected for propulsion of the motor vehicle so that kinetic energy stored in the liquid in the said at least one flywheel after having been delivered thereto by the power source is transferred to the propulsion of the motor vehicle by delivery of liquid at high kinetic energy to the turbine wherein the turbine transmits the kinetic energy to the vehicle.

8. The propulsion system of claim 7 wherein delivery of liquid having kinetic energy from said flywheel to said turbine is controlled by demand for delivery of kinetic energy from said flywheel to the vehicle.

9. The propulsion system of claim 8 wherein liquid delivery from said flywheel to said nozzle to said turbine is controlled by a motor vehicle operator.

10. The propulsion system of claim 7 wherein said axis is substantially vertical in the vehicle.

11. The propulsion system of claim 7 wherein one of said flywheels is positioned within the other of said flywheels.

12. The motor vehicle propulsion system of claim 7 wherein one of said flywheels is positioned above the other of said flywheels and there is a turbine associated with each of said flywheels.