Electric vehicle reaction drive

• US 7,448,458 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Fred Meyer
• Original Assignee: John Fred Meyer
• Inventors: Meyer, John Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALTERS, JOHN DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/242,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20070074918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.6, 701/22, 903/902, 903/903, 903/909, 903/925, 903/942, 903/943
• US Class Current: 180/65.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/724 using external powered electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/909 Gearing

Abstract

An electric drive for a vehicle or other machine having a rotatable drive mechanism, in which the torque output of an electric motor is coupled to drive a main generator through a planetary gear set, the electrical output of the main generator is supplied to the motor to drive the motor, and a reaction torque produced in the planetary gear set from the driving of the generator is coupled to drive the vehicle wheels or other motion means. The reaction torque produced in the planetary gear set in response to the generator torque is greater than the electric motor torque input. Start-up and make-up power for the electric motor are provided by an onboard battery recharged by an auxiliary onboard generator, or by the auxiliary onboard generator.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle drive comprising:

an electric motor producing an action torque coupled to drive a main generator through a planetary gear set, the driving of the main generator producing an electrical output coupled to drive the electric motor and producing a reaction torque in the planetary gear set that is greater than the electric motor'"'"'s action torque, the reaction torque being coupled through the planetary gear set to the vehicle wheels to drive the vehicle.

2. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary onboard generator coupled to supply electric power to the electric motor.

3. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, further comprising a battery coupled to supply electric power to the electric motor.

4. The electric vehicle drive of claim 3, further comprising an auxiliary onboard generator coupled to recharge the battery.

5. The electric vehicle drive of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary onboard generator comprises a combustion engine and an engine-driven generator.

6. The electric vehicle drive of claim 5, wherein the combustion engine is dedicated to drive the engine-driven generator.

7. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the planetary gear set comprises a ring gear, a planetary carrier, and a sun gear, the electric motor'"'"'s action torque is coupled to the ring gear, the sun gear is coupled to the main generator, and the carrier is coupled to the vehicle wheels.

8. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the main generator is operable as an electric motor and the electric motor is operable as a regenerative main generator to produce a torque reversal to the drive wheels for vehicle reverse motion.

9. The electric vehicle drive of claim 8, wherein the method of torque reversal is capable of being used as a secondary method for vehicle braking in the event of primary braking mode failure, and also providing an easier and more efficient method of rocking the vehicle when stuck.

10. The electric vehicle drive of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is operable as a second generator during primary vehicle braking using conventional braking means, using the vehicles kinetic energy to drive both the generator converted electric motor and main generator to produce current for vehicle systems, charging the batteries, or both.

11. A method for driving a vehicle with an electric motor, comprising the steps of:

coupling an action torque output of the electric motor to drive a main generator through a planetary gear set, coupling an electrical output of the main generator to drive the electric motor, generating a reaction torque in the planetary gear set in response to the driving of the main generator, and coupling the reaction torque to a vehicle wheel to drive the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of supplying electric power to the electric motor with a battery onboard the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of supplying electric power to the electric motor with an auxiliary onboard generator.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of supplying electric power to the electric motor with a battery onboard the vehicle, and of recharging the battery with the auxiliary onboard generator.

15. An electric drive for a rotatable drive mechanism, comprising:

a planetary gear set;

an electric motor mechanically connected to the planetary gear set for providing an input torque to the planetary gear set;

a main generator mechanically connected to the planetary gear set for receiving an output torque that is produced by the planetary gear set in response to the input torque,

wherein the main generator is electrically connected to the electric motor for supplying electric power to the electric motor; and

the planetary gear set producing a reaction torque in response to the input torque,

wherein the reaction torque is greater than the input torque, and the planetary gear set is mechanically connected to the rotatable drive for transmitting the reaction torque to the rotatable drive from the planetary gear set.

16. The electric drive of claim 15, further comprising:

an auxiliary onboard generator electrically connected to the electric motor to supply electric power to the electric motor.

17. The electric drive of claim 16, further comprising:

a battery electrically connected to the electric motor to supply electric power to the electric motor; and

a controller electrically interposed between the electric motor and the main generator, the auxiliary onboard generator, and the battery to direct the flow of electric power.

18. The electric drive of claim 15, wherein the auxiliary onboard generator includes a combustion engine and an engine driven generator.

19. The electric drive of claim 18, wherein the combustion engine is dedicated to drive the engine-driven generator.

20. The electric drive of claim 15, further comprising:

the planetary gear set including a ring gear, a planetary carrier, and a sun gear,

wherein the electric motor is mechanically connected to the ring gear, the main generator is mechanically connected to the sun gear, and the rotatable drive mechanism is mechanically connected to the planetary carrier.