Manually operated electrical control and installation scheme for electric hybrid vehicles

• US 8,453,772 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Albert W. Brown
• Original Assignee: Albert W. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Albert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWENSON, BRIAN L
• Application Number:
  US12/621,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20100059300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/65.265, 180/65.285, 180/65.31, 903/903, 903/925, 903/943, 744/731.2, 744/732.1
• US Class Current: 180/65.285
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4808 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/025 Input devices for controlling electric drive motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/029 Joystick type control devices for acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/02 of initiating means or elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/30 with means to change over to human control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/103 Accelerator thresholds, e.g. kickdown
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 : Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 : Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/04 : Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20474 : Rotatable rod, shaft, or post
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20612 : Hand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 : Pedals

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle system facilitates operator control over electric power generation and use. The system features a motor/generator that can be mounted to an output of a transmission of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A hybrid system for a vehicle comprising a vehicle structure, said hybrid system comprising a motor/generator, said motor/generator comprising a shaft, a first end of said shaft connectable to a first driveline component and a second end of said shaft connectable to a second driveline component, said motor/generator electrically connected to an energy storage system and a controller, said controller electrically connected to a manually-operated control actuator, said manually-operated control actuator and said controller controlling operation of said motor/generator such that said motor/generator functions in a generator mode or a motor mode as dictated by said manually-operated control actuator wherein said manually-operated control actuator comprises a first trigger moveably attached on one of an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal and wherein said first trigger is moveable relative to the associated brake or accelerator pedal without substantial movement of the associated brake or accelerator pedal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first trigger is adapted to move through a range of motor levels dependent upon a relative position of said first trigger within a range of movement of said first trigger.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second trigger attached to the brake pedal and the first trigger being attached to the accelerator pedal, said first trigger adapted to cause operation of the motor/generator in the motor mode and said second trigger adapted to cause operation of the motor/generator in the generator mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first trigger is adapted to move through a range of motor levels dependent upon a relative position of said first trigger within a range of movement of said first trigger.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said second trigger is adapted to move through a range of generator levels dependent upon a relative position of said second trigger within a range of movement of said second trigger.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first trigger is attached to said accelerator pedal and a second trigger is attached to said brake pedal, said first trigger being moveable relative to said accelerator pedal and said second trigger being moveable relative to said brake pedal.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first trigger is moveable relative to said accelerator pedal without movement of said accelerator pedal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said second trigger is moveable relative to said brake pedal without movement of said brake pedal.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said accelerator pedal is movable when said first trigger has moved through a full range of movement associated with said first trigger.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said brake pedal is moveable when said second trigger has moved through a full range of movement associated with said second trigger.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a speed-based controller that is adapted to connect and disconnect a potentiometer attached to said first trigger and said controller, wherein said speed-based controller receives information about a speed of the vehicle and wherein said speed-based controller disconnects said potentiometer from said controller when the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined speed.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined speed is less than 15 miles per hour.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said first trigger is connected to a potentiometer and said potentiometer is selectively disconnectable from said controller.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a speed-based controller selectively disconnects said potentiometer from said controller.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy storage system comprises a capacitor bank with an electrical energy storage capacity sufficient to absorb generated energy of only one major braking event conducted by said electric machine.

16. The hybrid system of claim 1, wherein said hybrid system is configured to operate without continued inputs of electrical energy from outside of said hybrid system following an installation charge to a minimum designated voltage.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a potentiometer attached to said first trigger and said controller and a transmission shift lever connected to said vehicle and adapted to disconnect said potentiometer from said controller when said transmission shift lever is in one of a reverse position and a neutral position.

18. A control actuator for a vehicle hybrid system, the actuator comprising a foot pedal, the foot pedal comprising a peripheral edge, the peripheral edge generally surrounding a contact surface, the contact surface being adapted to receive a foot of a user during operation, the contact surface comprising a central region, a trigger being positioned closer to the peripheral edge than the central region, the trigger being moveable relative to the foot pedal without substantial movement of the foot pedal, the trigger comprising a boss, the boss defining a passageway, a slot extending through the boss and intersecting the passageway, a fastening bridging the slot with a head portion being freely rotatable relative to the boss and a shaft portion being received within a threaded recess of the boss, the trigger being connected to a potentiometer and a biasing member mounted to oppose movement of the trigger toward the contact surface.

19. The control actuator of claim 18, wherein the biasing member comprises a torsion spring, the torsion spring being at least partially positioned within a foot pedal passageway, and the foot pedal passageway being generally aligned with the passageway in the boss of the trigger.

20. The control actuator of claim 19, wherein a pin is received within the foot pedal passageway, the pin comprising a slot that restrains at least a portion of the torsion spring.

21. The control actuator of claim 20, wherein another portion of the torsion spring is retained by a shaft of the potentiometer.