Vehicle with switched supplemental energy storage system for engine cranking
First Claim
1. In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a cranking motor coupled with the engine to crank the engine, and a battery coupled with the cranking motor, the improvement comprising:
- a capacitor comprising first and second terminals;
first and second electrical paths interconnecting the first and second terminals, respectively, with the cranking motor and a system ground;
a first switch comprising a circuit positionable between at least an open and closed position, said first switch coupled to the battery;
a second switch comprising a first circuit coupled between said first switch and said system ground and a second circuit coupled between the first and second terminals of the capacitor, wherein said second switch is moveable between an on position and a momentary position; and
a relay included in one of the first and second electrical paths and coupled to said second switch, said relay moveable between at least a closed-circuit condition, in which the relay completes said one of the first and second electrical paths, and an open-circuit condition, in which the relay interrupts said one of the first and second electrical paths, wherein the battery applies a first control voltage through said circuit of said first switch when said circuit of said first switch is in the closed position and through said first circuit of said second switch when said second switch is in the on position, and wherein said capacitor applies a second control voltage through said second circuit of said second switch when said second switch is in the momentary position, and wherein said relay is moveable to said closed-circuit condition in response to at least one of said first and second control voltages being applied thereto.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a cranking motor, and a battery includes a double-layer capacitor characterized by a capacitance greater than 150 farads, and a low internal resistance. First and second electrical paths interconnect the capacitor with the cranking motor. A control circuit is coupled between the positive and negative terminals of at least one of the capacitor and battery, and this control circuit includes a switch that applies a variable control voltage to a relay in response to the position of the switch. The relay is included in one of the electrical paths, and the relay isolates the capacitor from the cranking motor when switched to the open-circuit condition by the control voltage and enables the capacitor to supply cranking current to the cranking motor when the control voltage places the relay in the closed-circuit condition.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a cranking motor coupled with the engine to crank the engine, and a battery coupled with the cranking motor, the improvement comprising:
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a capacitor comprising first and second terminals;
first and second electrical paths interconnecting the first and second terminals, respectively, with the cranking motor and a system ground;
a first switch comprising a circuit positionable between at least an open and closed position, said first switch coupled to the battery;
a second switch comprising a first circuit coupled between said first switch and said system ground and a second circuit coupled between the first and second terminals of the capacitor, wherein said second switch is moveable between an on position and a momentary position; and
a relay included in one of the first and second electrical paths and coupled to said second switch, said relay moveable between at least a closed-circuit condition, in which the relay completes said one of the first and second electrical paths, and an open-circuit condition, in which the relay interrupts said one of the first and second electrical paths, wherein the battery applies a first control voltage through said circuit of said first switch when said circuit of said first switch is in the closed position and through said first circuit of said second switch when said second switch is in the on position, and wherein said capacitor applies a second control voltage through said second circuit of said second switch when said second switch is in the momentary position, and wherein said relay is moveable to said closed-circuit condition in response to at least one of said first and second control voltages being applied thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a cranking motor coupled with the engine to crank the engine, and a battery coupled with the cranking motor, the improvement comprising:
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a capacitor comprising first and second terminals;
first and second electrical paths interconnecting the first and second terminals, respectively, with the cranking motor and a system ground;
an oil pressure switch comprising a circuit positionable between at least an open and closed position, said oil pressure switch coupled to at least one of the battery and said capacitor; and
a relay included in one of the first and second electrical paths and coupled to said oil pressure switch, said relay positionable between at least a closed-circuit condition, in which the relay completes said one of the first and second electrical paths and an open-circuit condition, in which the relay interrupts said one of the first and second electrical paths, wherein said at least one of the battery and said capacitor apply a control voltage to said relay when said oil pressure switch circuit is positioned in said closed position, and wherein said relay is positioned in said closed-circuit condition in response to said control voltage being applied thereto when said oil pressure switch circuit is positioned in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for cranking an internal combustion engine comprising:
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providing an electrical system comprising a capacitor comprising first and second terminals interconnected with a cranking motor and a system ground by way of first and second electrical paths respectively;
a first switch comprising a circuit positionable between at least an open and closed position, said first switch coupled to a battery;
a second switch comprising a first circuit coupled between said first switch and said system ground and a second circuit coupled between the first and second terminals of the capacitor, wherein said second switch is positionable between an on position and a momentary position; and
a relay included in one of the first and second electrical paths and coupled to said second switch, said relay moveable between at least a closed-circuit condition, in which the relay completes said one of the first and second electrical paths, and an open-circuit condition, in which the relay interrupts said one of the first and second electrical paths;
positioning said circuit of said first switch in said closed position;
positioning said second switch in said on position;
applying a first control voltage to said relay with said battery through said circuit of said first switch when said circuit of said first switch is in the closed position and through said first circuit of said second switch when said second switch is in the on position;
positioning said second switch in said momentary position;
applying a second control voltage to said relay with said capacitor through said second circuit of said second switch when said second switch is in the momentary position; and
positioning said relay in said closed-circuit condition in response to at least one of said first and second control voltages being applied thereto and thereby completing said one of the first and second electrical paths. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for cranking an internal combustion engine comprising:
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providing an electrical system comprising a capacitor comprising first and second terminals interconnected with a cranking motor and a system ground by way of a first and second electrical paths respectively;
an oil pressure switch comprising a circuit positionable between at least an open and closed position, said oil pressure switch coupled to at least one of a battery and said capacitor; and
a relay included in one of the first and second electrical paths and coupled to said oil pressure switch, said relay moveable between at least a closed-circuit condition, in which the relay completes said one of the first and second electrical paths, and an open-circuit condition, in which the relay interrupts said one of the first and second electrical paths;
applying at least a minimum predetermined oil pressure to said oil pressure switch and thereby positioning said circuit of said oil pressure switch in said closed position;
applying a control voltage to said relay with said at least one of the battery and said capacitor when said oil pressure switch circuit is positioned in said closed position; and
positioning said relay in said closed-circuit condition in response to said control voltage being applied thereto and thereby completing said one of said first and second electrical paths. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification