Drive system for a motor vehicle

• US 8,292,013 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG), Temic Automotive Electric Motors Gmbh (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG), Temic Automotive Electric Motors Gmbh (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Birke, Peter, Keller, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US12/089,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20080251304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,205 Days
• Field of Search: 180/165, 180/65.21, 180/65.225, 180/65.24, 180/65.265, 180/65.275, 180/65.285, 180/65.29, 180/65.31, 180/68.5, 320/104, 320116-123
• US Class Current: 180/65.29
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive system for a motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine, said vehicle also being provided with at least one vehicle electric system for electric power supply. In addition, the drive system is provided with at least one energy accumulator with several energy accumulator cells and a control assembly for controlling different operating modes of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive system for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion machine and at least one electric machine, wherein in the vehicle at least one electric system is provided for the electric power supply, as well as at least one energy accumulator, which comprises several energy accumulator cells, the drive system comprising:

a control arrangement for controlling different operating modes of the motor vehicle, wherein the following operating modes of the vehicle are provided;

acceleration of the motor vehicle with at least one of the internal combustion machine and the electric machine;

smooth driving of the motor vehicle with at least one of the internal combustion machine and the electric machine;

operation of the electric machine as a generator for producing electric energy;

feeding of the electric energy, which is produced by the electric machine, into at least one of the vehicle electric systems;

conversion of the voltage available in the vehicle electric system to a voltage of a further vehicle electric system; and

symmetrizing or balancing of the energy accumulator cells of the energy accumulator while the motor vehicle is moving under power of the internal combustion machine, wherein the symmetrizing or balancing is initiated responsive to activation of a cruise control.

2. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the operating mode symmetrizing or balancing of the energy accumulator cells of the energy accumulator is performed parallel to operating the internal combustion machine at a continuous fixed speed.

3. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the operating mode symmetrizing or balancing of the energy accumulator cells of the energy accumulator is performed parallel to the operating mode of smooth driving.

4. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle comprises at least one low-voltage electric system and one high-voltage electric system.

5. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the acceleration of the motor vehicle with an internal combustion machine and electric machine is embodied as a boost function.

6. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the low-voltage electric system is a 12-Volt-system and/or a 24-Volt-system and that the high-voltage electric system is a voltage system embodied for voltages higher than 60 Volt.

7. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein heating of the energy accumulator or the energy accumulator cells, respectively, is effected, if an ambient temperature falls below a given threshold value.

8. A drive system for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy accumulator cells are nickel-metal-hydride-batteries or lithium-ion-batteries.