Fuel-efficient energy storage automotive drive system

• US 4,372,414 A
• Filed: 09/04/1980
• Issued: 02/08/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, David H., Lucas, Eugene F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hill, M. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/184,149
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 180/165, 180/54 R, 180/65 A, 180/65 R, 180/305, 180/306-308, 105/64 R, 105/65, 105/20 R, 105/358, 60/413, 60/414, 60/416, 60/418, 60/420, 60/421, 60/435, 60/437, 60/445, 60/448-450, 60/483, 60/404-412, 60/698, 60/DIG. 2, 74/572, 74/675, 74/686, 74/687, 74/751, 74/720.5, 74/730, 74/665 R, 74/732, 74/665 G, 73/510, 73/521, 73/524, 73/488
• US Class Current: 180/165
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19079 Parallel

Abstract

A fuel-saving energy storage vehicle drive system which saves fuel, primarily under stop-and-go driving conditions, by collecting, storing and using energy normally lost in the braking or deceleration of the vehicle, by automatically controlled operation of the engine under certain conditions, and by automatically controlled use of the stored energy and engine respectively as alternative or supplemental prime movers for each other for driving the vehicle. Subsystems for preventing waste of deceleration energy and stored energy are provided, and compact transmission layout and packaging are provided which facilitate installation of the new system in existing vehicles.

Claims

1. In a wheeled vehicle having first and second wheels and an engine, a vehicle drive system comprising:

(a) energy storage means for collecting and storing energy;

(b) power transmission means mechanically coupled to said first wheel, but not said second wheel, of said vehicle for applying torque to said first wheel but not said second wheel;

(c) transmission control means for selectively connecting said power transmission means to said energy storage means for causing said power transmission means to transfer energy between said storage means and said first wheel;

(d) said power transmission means comprising variable torque application means for controllably applying varying amounts of torque to said first wheel while transferring energy between said storage means and said first wheel;

(e) wheel speed sensor means for sensing and comparing the respective rotational speeds of said first and second wheels; and

(f) means connected to said variable torque application means and to said wheel speed sensor means for causing said torque application means to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel automatically in response to a difference between the rotational speeds of said first and second wheels of at least a predetermined minimum magnitude.

2. The drive system of claim 1 wherein said power transmission means is coupled to said first wheel so as to drive said first wheel by applying said torque thereto, and wherein said difference between the rotational speeds of said first and second wheels is an excess of the speed of said first wheel over the speed of said second wheel.

3. The drive system of claim 1 wherein said power transmission means is coupled to said first wheel so as to brake or decelerate said first wheel by applying said torque thereto, and wherein said difference between the rotational speeds of said first and second wheels is an excess of the speed of said second wheel over the speed of said first wheel.

4. A method for operating a wheeled vehicle having first and second wheels and an engine, said method comprising:

(a) collecting and storing energy in an energy storage device;

(b) mechanically coupling a power transmission to said first wheel, but not to said second wheel, of said vehicle so as to apply torque to said first wheel through said power transmission;

(c) selectively connecting said power transmission to said energy storage device for causing said power transmission to transfer energy between said storage device and said first wheel;

(d) applying varying amounts of torque to said first wheel through said power transmission;

(e) sensing and comparing the respective rotational speeds of said first and second wheels; and

(f) causing said power transmission to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel automatically in response to a difference between the rotational speeds of said first and second wheels of at least a predetermined minimum magnitude.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said power transmission is coupled to said first wheel so as to drive said first wheel by applying said torque thereto, said step (f) comprising causing said power transmission to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel in response to an excess of the speed of said first wheel over the speed of said second wheel of at least said predetermined minimum magnitude.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said power transmission is coupled to said first wheel so as to brake or decelerate said first wheel by applying said torque thereto, said step (f) comprising causing said power transmission to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel in response to an excess of the speed of said second wheel over the speed of said first wheel of at least said predetermined minimum magnitude.

7. A method for preventing significant slippage and resultant energy loss of a driven wheel of a wheeled vehicle having first and second wheels and an engine, said method comprising:

(a) collecting and storing energy in an energy storage device;

(b) mechanically coupling a power transmission to said first wheel, but not to said second wheel, of said vehicle so as to apply torque to said first wheel, but not to said second wheel, through said power transmission;

(c) selectively connecting said power transmission to said energy storage device for causing said power transmission to transfer energy between said storage device and said first wheel;

(d) applying varying amounts of torque to said first wheel through said power transmission;

(e) detecting incipient slippage of said first wheel by sensing and comparing the respective rotational speeds of said first and second wheels; and

(f) causing said power transmission to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel automatically, in response to a difference between the rotational speeds of said first and second wheels of at least a predetermined minimum magnitude, to an amount of torque at which said difference between said rotational speeds is less than said predetermined minimum magnitude.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said power transmission is coupled to said first wheel so as to drive said first wheel by applying said torque thereto, said step (f) comprising causing said power transmission to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel in response to an excess of the speed of said first wheel over the speed of said second wheel of at least said predetermined magnitude.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said power transmission is coupled to said first wheel so as to brake or decelerate said first wheel by applying said torque thereto, said step (f) comprising causing said power transmission to reduce the amount of torque applied to said first wheel in response to an excess of the speed of said second wheel over the speed of said first wheel of at least said predetermined minimum magnitude.