Electric vehicle drive system

• US 4,629,947 A
• Filed: 04/03/1985
• Issued: 12/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary R. Hammerslag, Julius G. Hammerslag
• Original Assignee: Gary R. Hammerslag, Julius G. Hammerslag
• Inventors: Hammerslag, Gary R., Hammerslag, Julius G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US06/719,605
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 318/150, 318/161, 318/648, 310/74, 310/153, 322/4, 180/65.2, 180/165, 74/5.22, 74/572
• US Class Current: 318/161
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/30 using dynamo-electric machines coupled to flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/025 for power storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• 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

Abstract

An electric vehicle power system has a battery system to drive an electric drive motor. A flywheel is provided to supply energy to drive a generator for supplying electric current during peak loads on the battery-motor system and minimize current drain on the battery caused by acceleration of the vehicle. A microprocessor controls the system to apply needed current to the vehicle drive motor or motors. The flywheel is mounted in a vacuum housing which allows angular motion of the vehicle relative to the flywheel to avoid gyroscopic effects of the flywheel on the vehicle. A flywheel is mounted on a horizontal axis in a housing pivotal on a vertical axis, or the flywheel is mounted on a vertical axis in a housing pivotal on a horizontal axis. In one form, the flywheel is the rotor of the motor-generator.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle drive system, comprising:

a vehicle drive wheel, a reversible electric motor-brake connected with said wheel, a battery source of stored electrical energy in circuit with said motor, controller means in said circuit, a motor-generator in circuit with said controller means, a flywheel connected in drive relation with said controller means, accelerator and brake means in circuit with said controller means, said controller means being operable to control current flow between said battery source and said motor generator and said motor-brake to limit the current supplied to said motor-brake from said battery source in response to the current demand to drive said drive wheel and to supply current from said motor-generator to said drive wheel, and mounting means supporting said flywheel for angular movement on an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of said flywheel, said mounting means supporting said flywheel on a horizontal axis and being angularly moveable on a vertical axis.

2. An electric vehicle drive system as defined in claim 1, said mounting means being in the form of a closed, evacuated housing.

3. An electric vehicle drive system as defined in claim 1, wherein said flywheel constitutes the rotor of said motor-generator.