Fuel cell powered chassis mobile electrical source and method of use thereof

• US 6,938,712 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Shabana, Mohsen D., Chernoff, Adrian B., Borroni-Bird, Christopher E., Vitale, Robert Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, KELLY E
• Application Number:
  US10/207,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.5, 180/333, 180/446, 180/402, 180/403, 296/35.3, 429/22, 429/23, 429/24, 429/25, 280/785
• US Class Current: 180/65.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/14 having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air fluid springs with an accumulator B60G11/30
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/10 Independent suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/18 Multilink suspensions, e.g. elastokinematic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/44 steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/46 camber angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/462 Toe-in/out
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/40 Type of actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/10 Mounting of suspension elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/14 Mounting of suspension arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/16 Mounting of vehicle body on chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/20 Mounting of accessories, e.g. pump, compressor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/202 of cables
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/011 Modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/0114 Independent suspensions on subframes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/50 Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/99 : Suspension element selection procedure depending on loading or performance requirements, e.g. selection of damper, spring or bush
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 : Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/50 : Electric vehicles; Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/60 : Vehicles using regenerative power
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/21 : Traction, slip, skid or slide control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/802 : Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/90 : System Controller type
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/91 : Suspension Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 : ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/963 : Steer-by-wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/18 : with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/003 : of adjustable length
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 : for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• 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 15/07 : of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 : one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 : the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 : the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 : to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 : for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 : Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 : Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 : Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 : characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/71 : Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 : for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 : for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/065 : employing disc B60T1/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 : by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/66 : Electrical control in fluid-pressure brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 : characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 : with electrical assistance or drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/82 : Brake-by-Wire, EHB
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/00 : Brake-action initiating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 : by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• 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 10/20 : including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/28 : including control of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 : Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 : Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 : Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/105 : for motor cars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/00 : Power-assisted or power-driven steering for non-deflectable wheels B62D11/00; fluid-pressure servomotors in general F15B
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/18 : Steering knuckles; King pins
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A vehicle chassis having substantially all of the mechanical, electrical, and structural componentry necessary for a fully functional vehicle includes at least an energy conversion system, a steering system, and a braking system. The chassis is configured for matability with a variety of different types or styles of vehicle bodies. Various prior art mechanical control linkages between a driver and controlled systems are replaced with non-mechanical control signal transmission components. Fuel cell technology is also implemented. The chassis may also include an electrical connector operably connected to the fuel cell and configured to transmit electrical energy from the fuel cell to an offboard system that consumes electrical energy. Chassis may be stacked and/or have interconnected fuel cells to increase electrical energy output.

Claims

1. A vehicle chassis comprising:

a structural frame;

a steering system mounted with respect to the structural frame;

a by-wire braking system mounted with respect to the structural frame;

an energy conversion system including a fuel cell configured to generate electrical energy, controllable by wire, and mounted with respect to the structural frame;

a body-attachment interface supported with respect to the frame and having body connection components including at least one load-bearing body-retention coupling; and

an electrical connector operably connected to the fuel cell and and configured to transmit electrical energy from the fuel cell to an off-board system that consumes electrical energy;

wherein the body connection components further include at least one control signal receiver, and wherein the braking system and energy conversion system are both operably connected to said at least one control signal receiver; and

wherein said steering system is controllable by wire, and the steering system is operably connected to said at least one control signal receiver.

2. A vehicle comprising:

a chassis having

a structural frame;

a by-wire steering system mounted with respect to the structural frame;

a by-wire braking system mounted with respect to the structural frame;

an energy conversion system including a fuel cell configured to generate electrical energy, controllable by wire, and mounted with respect to the structural frame;

a body-attachment interface supported with respect to the structural frame and having body connection components including at least one load-bearing body-retention coupling; and

an electrical power connector operably connected to the fuel cell and configured to transmit electrical energy from the fuel cell; and

a body mounted to the chassis at the at least one load-bearing body retention coupling, and having a first electrical connector operably connected to the electrical power connector and a second electrical connector operably connected to the first electrical connector and configured to transmit electrical energy to an off-board system that consumes electrical energy.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the chassis further includes an energy storage system configured to store hydrogen and operably connected to the energy conversion system.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the body connection components further include at least one control signal receiver, and wherein the steering system, braking system, and energy conversion system are each operably connected to the control signal receiver.

5. The vehicle chassis of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of wheels operably connected to the steering system, energy conversion system and braking system.