Arrangement of a drive unit in an electric vehicle

• US 5,662,184 A
• Filed: 04/12/1995
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NuCellSys GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Klaiber, Thomas, Riemer, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/420,600
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.3, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/65.8, 180/68.4
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/00 Arrangement in connection with cooling of propulsion units heating the interior space B60H; cooling internal combustion engines per se F01P
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0082 Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/00 Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04 Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04014 Heat exchange using gaseous fluids; Heat exchange by combustion of reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An arrangement of a drive unit in a vehicle, which drive unit comprises at least an electric traction motor, a fuel cell, a compressor for supplying air to the fuel cell and an electric motor for driving the compressor. According to the invention, the fuel cell is partitioned into at least two fuel-cell stacks which are fitted on opposite sides of the compressor. The electric motor, the compressor and a radiator fan are arranged on a common drive shaft.

Claims

1. Arrangement of a drive unit in a vehicle, which drive unit comprises at least an electric traction motor coupled to receive electric power from a fuel cell, a compressor connected to the fuel cell to supply air thereto and an electric compressor motor connected to the compressor, wherein:

the compressor and the electric compressor motor are arranged in a front region of the vehicle;

the fuel cell is partitioned into at least two stacks, which are on opposite sides of the compressor;

a fuel-cell radiator, having a fuel cell radiator fan, is coupled in thermal communication with the fuel cell; and

the radiator fan, the electric compressor motor and the compressor are mounted on a common drive shaft.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a water pump is additionally mounted on the common drive shaft.