Regenerative braking on an electrical vehicle when towed

• US 6,866,350 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2001
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Milam, William P., Palmer, Melvin Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Matthew C.
• Application Number:
  US09/848,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 303/3, 303/7, 303/15, 303/124, 303/20, 303/152, 188/112.R, 188/112.A
• US Class Current: 303/152
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/32 Control or regulation of multiple-unit electrically-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/00 Transmitting braking action from initiating means to ultimate brake actuator with power assistance or drive; Brake systems incorporating such transmitting means, e.g. air-pressure brake systems arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions B60T8/00; valves incorporated in such systems B60T15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/22 Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

Regenerative braking is actuated in an electrical vehicle during towing of the vehicle to recharge the battery and brake the vehicle. When a driver of a towing vehicle depresses the brakes of the vehicle (202), the electrical vehicle applies regenerative braking in proportion to a braking signal from the towing vehicle (206). Also, regenerative braking is applied to the electrical vehicle when the vehicle is inadvertently disconnected from a connector (110) that couples the electrical vehicle to the towing vehicle (208).

Claims

1. A method for activating regenerative braking in a vehicle being towed, the method comprising the steps of:

A) receiving a signal in proportion to an amount of braking applied to a first vehicle to decrease a speed of the first vehicle, wherein the first vehicle is towing a second vehicle;

B) applying regenerative braking to the second vehicle in proportion to the signal to recharge a battery of the second vehicle; and

C) applying regenerative braking to the second vehicle if the second vehicle is disconnected from the first vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second vehicle is one of an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle.

3. An apparatus for applying regenerative braking in a vehicle comprising:

a processor that receives a braking signal from a first vehicle that is towing a second vehicle that comprises the apparatus, wherein the braking signal is proportional to an amount of braking applied to decrease a speed of the first vehicle; and

wherein the processor determines an amount of regenerative braking to be applied by an electric motor in the second vehicle base on the braking signal to thereby decrease a speed of the second vehicle and charge a battery of the second vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the processor receives a disconnect signal that indicates whether the first vehicle is disconnected from the second vehicle and wherein if the disconnect signal indicates the second vehicle is disconnected from the first vehicle, the processor controls regenerative braking on the second vehicle to decrease the speed of the second vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a connector that is adapted to connect with the first vehicle to provide a connection to the braking signal and at least one of a tail light signal, a brake light signal, and a turn signal.

6. A braking system comprising:

a connector that transmits a braking signal from a first vehicle to a second vehicle, wherein the connector couples the first vehicle to the second vehicle for towing;

an inverter that supplies a current to a motor of the second vehicle, wherein the motor generates regenerative braking to recharge a battery of the second vehicle;

a processor coupled to the connector that;

receives the braking signal from the connector; and

controls the amount of regenerative braking applied to the second vehicle as a function of the braking signal.

7. The braking system of claim 6 wherein the connector comprises a circuit for brake control.

8. The braking system of claim 7 wherein the connector further comprises a connection for at least one of taillights, brake lights, left turn signal and right turn signal.