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Hybrid non-rail tired vehicle with safety mechanism

  • US 5,915,488 A
  • Filed: 01/26/1996
  • Issued: 06/29/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A hybrid road vehicle comprising:

  • a chassis;

    a plurality of wheels being rotationally mounted on said chassis;

    a plurality of road vehicle tires being disposed on corresponding ones of said plurality of wheels; and

    a hybrid propulsion system, said hybrid propulsion system comprising;

    an internal combustion engine;

    a power supply connected to said internal combustion engine;

    at least one motor for propelling at least one of said plurality of wheels;

    a switching arrangement to transfer power from said power supply to said at least one motor;

    an acceleration sensor arrangement to determine and generate a value of at least one acceleration-dependent variable, said at least one acceleration-dependent variable being a function of the acceleration of at least one portion of the vehicle;

    a control system to control the amount of power transferred from said power supply to said at least one motor dependent on at least one of;

    said determined value of said at least one acceleration-dependent variable generated by said acceleration sensor arrangement, and the rate of change of said determined value of said at least one acceleration-dependent variable generated by said acceleration sensor arrangement;

    said control system comprising an arrangement to minimize deterioration of said switching arrangement;

    said arrangement to minimize deterioration of said switching arrangement being configured to temporarily reduce power flowing through said switching arrangement upon and during the duration of at least one of;

    said determined value of said at least one acceleration-dependent variable generated by said acceleration sensor arrangement, andthe rate of change of said determined value of said at least one acceleration-dependent variable exceeding a corresponding defined characteristic of the acceleration of at least one portion of the vehicle;

    said arrangement to minimize deterioration of said switching arrangement being configured to substantially immediately restore power flowing through said switching circuitry subsequent to the occurrence of said at least one of;

    said determined value of said at least one acceleration-dependent variable generated by said acceleration sensor arrangement, andthe rate of change of said determined value of said at least one acceleration-dependent variable exceeding a corresponding defined characteristic of the acceleration of at least one portion of the vehicle,to permit substantially continuous and substantially uninterrupted operation of said vehicle.

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