Vehicle assistance system

• US 8,428,802 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kizaki, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US12/293,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/36, 320103-105, 320/134, 320/126, 320/136, 429/400, 429/428, 429/515, 105/35, 604/13, 180/65.31, 439/500
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/38 with automatic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0053 relating to fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/28 including control of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/28 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04626 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 : of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 : of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• 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

There is disclosed a vehicle assistance system including an assistance vehicle provided with a power source; an assisted vehicle driven by power; and an electric cable which electrically connects the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle, wherein the power of the power source is supplied from the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle via the electric cable.

Claims

1. A vehicle assistance system comprising:

an assistance vehicle provided with a power source;

an assisted vehicle driven by power; and

an electric cable which electrically connects the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle,

wherein the power of the power source is supplied from the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle via the electric cable, and the assisted vehicle runs while receiving the power supply, and

wherein the assistance vehicle comprises a relay that is on/off controlled to perform power supply from the power source to outside and shutting of the supply, and a control device configured to turn on the relay to realize the power supply from the power source when an engine start key has been turned to a start position, and after turning on the relay, the control device is configured to realize a running in an assistance mode in which power consumption of the assistance vehicle is decreased as compared with usual running,

wherein the assistance vehicle has a storage cell,

wherein the assisted vehicle has wheels, and a traction motor which is driven by power supplied from the assistance vehicle via the electric cable to rotate the wheels and which generates power by the rotation of the wheels when the assisted vehicle and the assistance vehicle are driven while connected together, and

wherein the power generated in the traction motor by the rotation of the wheels during the running of the assisted vehicle is supplied to the storage cell of the assistance vehicle to charge the storage cell via the electric cable, whereby the regenerative braking of the assisted vehicle is realized.

2. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the assistance vehicle has a fuel cell and is driven by the power supplied from this fuel cell.

3. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the fuel cell of the assistance vehicle functions as the power source.

4. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the assistance vehicle is provided with a storage cell and driven by power supplied from this storage cell.

5. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the assistance vehicle is provided with a storage cell and an engine and driven by at least one of power supplied from the storage cell and motive energy obtained from the engine.

6. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the storage cell of the assistance vehicle functions as the power source.

7. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the assisted vehicle has a fuel cell and is driven by power supplied from this fuel cell.

8. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the assisted vehicle is provided with a storage cell and driven by power supplied from this storage cell.

9. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the assisted vehicle is provided with a storage cell and an engine and driven by at least one of power supplied from the storage cell and motive energy obtained from the engine.

10. An electric or hybrid vehicle assistance system comprising:

an assistance vehicle provided with a power source;

an assisted vehicle driven by power; and

an electric cable that electrically connects the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle,

wherein the power of the power source is supplied from the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle via the electric cable, and the assisted vehicle runs while receiving the power supply, and

wherein the assistance vehicle comprises a relay switch that allows power to be supplied from the power source to outside or prevents the power from being supplied to outside, and a control device configured to turn on/off the relay based on an operating state of the assisted vehicle and the assistance vehicle,

wherein the assisted vehicle and the assistance vehicle can be driven while connected together,

wherein the power generated by the rotation of the wheels during the running of the assisted vehicle is supplied to a storage cell of the assistance vehicle to charge the storage cell via the electric cable, and

wherein an electromotive power steering device of the assisted vehicle is powered by power from the power source of the assistance vehicle when the assisted vehicle and the assistance vehicle are connected together.

11. A vehicle assistance system comprising:

an assistance vehicle provided with a power source;

an assisted vehicle driven by power; and

an electric cable that electrically connects the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle,

wherein the power of the power source is supplied from the assistance vehicle to the assisted vehicle via the electric cable, and the assisted vehicle runs while receiving the power supply,

wherein the assistance vehicle comprises a relay switch that allows power to be supplied from the power source to outside or prevents the power from being supplied to outside, and a control device configured to turn on/off the relay based on an operating state of the assisted vehicle and the assistance vehicle,

wherein the assisted vehicle and the assistance vehicle can be driven while connected together, and

wherein the power generated by the rotation of the wheels during the running of the assisted vehicle is supplied to a storage cell of the assistance vehicle to charge the storage cell via the electric cable.