Ram air generator for an automobile

• US 8,757,300 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Samuel, Woodson Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEYER, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US13/050,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20120234612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 180/165, 180/2.1, 180/2.2, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3
• US Class Current: 180/2.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/006 wind power driven
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/04 having stationary wind-guiding means, e.g. with shrouds or channels F03D9/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ram air generator for an automobile, and more specifically to a ram air generator which improves an efficiency of an automobile. In one embodiment, the automobile can have, for example, an engine, a radiator, an ac condenser unit, and/or a ram air generator which can be located in an ambient air flow both of an engine. The automobile can also include a battery and/or a DC-DC converter connected to the ram air generator. The ram air generator receives ambient air in the ambient air flow path and generates energy from the ambient air. The energy generated by the ram air generator can be used to charge a battery and/or supply power to electronic devices through a DC-DC converter. The ram air generator can include a shroud, a fan blade assembly, an energy generation unit, and/or a regulator.

Claims

1. An automobile comprising:

an engine;

a ram air generator located in an ambient air-flow path of the engine, the ram air generator comprising a fan and configured to generate energy from a rotation of the fan by an ambient air in the ambient air-flow path;

a battery connected to the ram air generator, wherein the ram air generator is configured to charge the battery;

a sensor configured to detect operational data including at least ambient air data indicating a velocity of the ambient air or a direction of the ambient air; and

a control unit connected to the sensor and configured to control an operation of the ram air generator or the charging of the battery based on the detected operational data.

2. The automobile of claim 1 wherein the ram air generator includes:

a shroud located in the ambient air-flow path, the shroud including an inlet and an outlet, wherein the fan is located in the outlet of the shroud; and

an energy generation unit connected to the fan, wherein the energy generation unit generates energy based on the rotation of the fan.

3. The automobile of claim 2 wherein the shroud is substantially flat and a width of the inlet is greater than a width of the outlet, and the shroud concentrates the ambient air in the ambient air-flow path.

4. The automobile of claim 2 further comprising:

an air conditioning condenser located between the shroud and the engine, and in the ambient air-flow path; and

a radiator located between the shroud and the engine, and in the ambient air-flow path.

5. The automobile of claim 2 wherein the energy generation unit is a generator or an alternator.

6. The automobile of claim 2 further comprising a regulator connected to the energy generation unit, the regulator configured to activate the energy generation unit,

wherein the energy generation unit is configured to charge the battery when the energy generation unit is active.

7. The automobile of claim 1 further comprising an energy converter connected to the ram air generator for converting the energy generated by the ram air generator and supplying the converted energy to at least one electronic device of the automobile, wherein:

the operational data further corresponds to at least one of an energy level of the battery, an amount of energy produced by the ram air generator, or an energy draw requirement of the energy converter, and

the control unit is configured to increase supplying of the generated energy from the ram air generator to the energy converter when the operational data indicates that the ram air generator can convert an increased amount of energy and can supply the increased amount of energy to the at least one electronic device.

8. The automobile of claim 4 wherein:

the operational data corresponds to at least one of a temperature of the radiator, a temperature of the air conditioning condenser, or a temperature of the engine, and

the control unit is further configured to decrease energy production of the ram air generator in order to allow greater airflow through the radiator, the air conditioning condenser, or the engine when an increase in at least one of the temperature of the radiator, the temperature of the air conditioning condenser, or the temperature of the engine indicates that more ambient air is needed for cooling the radiator, the air conditioning condenser, or the engine.

9. An automobile comprising:

an engine;

a battery for powering movement of the automobile;

a ram air generator located in an ambient air-flow path of the engine, the ram air generator comprising a fan and configured to generate energy from a rotation of the fan by an ambient air in the ambient air-flow path for charging the battery or for powering at least one electronic device of the automobile;

an energy converter connected to the ram air generator for converting the energy generated by the ram air generator and supplying the converted energy to the at least one electronic device of the automobile;

a sensor configured to detect operational data corresponding to at least a characteristic of the ambient air; and

a control unit connected to the sensor and configured to;

control an operation of the ram air generator or the charging of the battery based on the detected operational data, and

increase supplying of energy from the ram air generator to the energy converter when the operational data indicates that the ram air generator can convert an increased amount of energy and can supply the increased amount of energy to the at least one electronic device.

10. The automobile of claim 9, further comprising:

a radiator located in the ambient airflow path; and

an air conditioning condenser located in the ambient air-flow path, wherein;

the operational data further corresponds to at least one of a temperature of the radiator, a temperature of the air conditioning condenser, or a temperature of the engine, and

the control unit is further configured to decrease energy production of the ram air generator in order to allow greater airflow through the radiator, the air conditioning condenser, or the engine when an increase in at least one of the temperature of the radiator, the temperature of the air conditioning condenser, or the temperature of the engine indicates that more ambient air is needed for cooling the radiator, the engine, or the air conditioning condenser.

11. The automobile of claim 9 wherein the characteristic of the ambient air corresponds to a velocity of the ambient air.

12. The automobile of claim 9 wherein the characteristic of the ambient air corresponds to a direction of the ambient air.

13. An automobile comprising:

an engine;

a battery for powering movement of the automobile;

a ram air generator located in an ambient air-flow path of the engine, the ram air generator comprising a fan and configured to generate energy from a rotation of the fan by the ambient air in the ambient air-flow path for charging the battery or for powering at least one electronic device of the automobile;

an energy converter connected to the ram air generator for converting the energy generated by the ram air generator and supplying the converted energy to the at least one electronic device of the automobile;

a radiator located in the ambient airflow path;

an air conditioning condenser located in the ambient air-flow path;

a sensor configured to detect operational data corresponding to a temperature of the radiator, a temperature of the air conditioning condenser, or a temperature of the engine; and

a control unit connected to the sensor and configured to;

control an operation of the ram air generator or the charging of the battery based on the detected operational data, and

decrease supplying of energy from the ram air generator to the energy converter when an increase in the temperature of the radiator, the temperature of the air conditioning condenser, or the temperature of the engine indicates that more ambient air is needed for cooling the radiator, the air conditioning condenser or the engine.

14. The automobile of claim 13 wherein the ram air generator includes:

a shroud located in the ambient air-flow path, the shroud including an inlet and an outlet, wherein the fan is located in the outlet of the shroud; and

an energy generation unit connected to the fan, wherein the energy generation unit generates energy based on the rotation of the fan.

15. The automobile of claim 14 wherein the shroud is substantially flat and a width of the inlet is greater than a width of the outlet, and the shroud concentrates the ambient air in the ambient air-flow path.

16. The automobile of claim 13 further comprising a regulator connected to the energy generation unit, the regulator configured to activate the energy generation unit,

wherein the energy generation unit is configured to charge the battery when the energy generation unit is active.