Systems and methods for converting a gasoline-fueled vehicle to a dual-mode powered vehicle

• US 8,167,772 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blue Wheel Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Blue Wheel Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stoicoviciu, Laurian, Sharp, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US13/188,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20110278126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 477/5
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/30 Trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/003 for vehicles using stored power (e.g. charging stations)
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 : the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 : with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 : structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• 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 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 : Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 : Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

A system and method for powering of a vehicle is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a powering assembly may include an axle, a wheel coupled to the axle, and at least one secondary coil winding affixed to the wheel. The wheel may be configured to rotate about the axle in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis of the axle. The at least one secondary coil may be configured such that when the wheel is proximate to an embedded conductor embedded in a roadway and carrying a first electrical current, a magnetic field induced by the first electrical current induces a second electrical current in the at least one secondary coil winding.

Claims

1. A method for adapting a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle to permit the vehicle to be powered via a roadway-embedded conductor comprising:

mechanically coupling a first clutch between an internal combustion engine of the vehicle and a drive train of the vehicle, the first clutch configured to engage the internal combustion engine with the drive train during a first mode of operation and disengage the internal combustion engine from the drive train during a second mode of operation;

mechanically coupling a second clutch to the drive train;

mechanically coupling an electric motor to the second clutch, the second clutch configured to engage the electric motor with the drive train during the second mode of operation and disengage the electric motor from the drive train during the first mode of operation; and

electrically coupling the electric motor to at least one of;

a powering assembly configured to transfer at least a portion of electrical energy from a roadway-embedded conductor, the electrical energy in the form of at least one of a magnetically-induced electric current and an electrically-conducted current; and

an energy storage device configured to convert at least a portion of the electrical energy transferred by the powering assembly into stored potential energy.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising mechanically coupling a third clutch between the internal combustion engine and a pulley drive, the third clutch configured to engage the internal combustion engine with the pulley during the first mode of operation and disengage the internal combustion engine from the drive train during the second mode of operation.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the pulley drive is configured to transfer energy from the internal combustion engine to one or more components of the vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first clutch and the second clutch comprises an electromagnetic clutch.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

coupling a first tachometer to the internal combustion engine, the first tachometer configured to measure a first angular speed of the internal combustion engine;

coupling a second tachometer to the electric motor, the second tachometer configured to measure a second angular speed of the electric motor; and

communicatively coupling a controller to the first tachometer, the second tachometer, the internal combustion engine, and the electric motor, the controller configured to;

when transitioning between the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, cause the angular speed of the electric motor to approximately equal the first angular speed; and

when transitioning between the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation, cause the angular speed of the internal combustion engine to approximately equal the second angular speed.

6. A system for adapting a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle to permit the vehicle to be powered via a roadway-embedded conductor comprising:

a powering assembly configured to transfer electrical energy from a roadway-embedded conductor, the electrical energy in the form of at least one of a magnetically-induced electric current and an electrically-conducted current;

an electric motor configured to be powered by at least one of a portion of the electrical energy transferred by the powering assembly and stored potential energy converted from at least a portion of the electrical energy transferred by the powering assembly;

a first clutch configured to be mechanically coupled to an internal combustion engine of the vehicle and a drive train of the vehicle, the first clutch further configured to engage the internal combustion engine with the drive train during a first mode of operation and disengage the internal combustion engine from the drive train during a second mode of operation; and

a second clutch configured to be mechanically coupled to the electric motor, the second clutch further configured to engage the electric motor with the drive train during the second mode of operation and disengage the electric motor from the drive train during the first mode of operation.

7. A system according to claim 6, further comprising an energy storage device electrically coupled to the powering assembly and the electric motor, the energy storage device configured to:

convert at least a portion of electrical energy transferred by the powering assembly to stored potential energy; and

convert stored potential energy into electrical energy for powering the electric motor.

8. A system according to claim 6, further comprising a third clutch configured to be mechanically coupled between the internal combustion engine and a pulley drive, the third clutch further configured to engage the internal combustion engine with the pulley during the first mode of operation and disengage the internal combustion engine from the drive train during the second mode of operation.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the pulley drive is configured to transfer energy from the internal combustion engine to one or more components of the vehicle.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first clutch and the second clutch comprises an electromagnetic clutch.

11. A system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first tachometer configured to be coupled to the internal combustion engine, the first tachometer further configured to measure a first angular speed of the internal combustion engine;

a second tachometer configured to be coupled to the electric motor, the second tachometer further configured to measure a second angular speed of the electric motor; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the first tachometer, the second tachometer, the internal combustion engine, and the electric motor, the controller configured to;

when transitioning between the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, cause the angular speed of the electric motor to approximately equal the first angular speed; and

when transitioning between the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation, cause the angular speed of the internal combustion engine to approximately equal the second angular speed.