Hybrid vehicle drive system and method for fuel reduction during idle

• US 9,061,680 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Technology Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Odyne Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Dalum, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, MAJDI A
• Application Number:
  US14/081,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.22, 180 65245- 65265, 180/165, 180/65.31, 180/65.285, 477/54, 477/107, 477/110, 477/168, 477/5, 701/1, 701/2, 701/48, 903/930, 903/906
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2025/005 driven by electric motors forming part of the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/02 directly from an engine shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/06 from the transmission power take-off transmissions having power-take-off B60K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0015 the motor being hydraulic
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/206 related or induced by the engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/04 : Vehicle stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/08 : Electric propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/305 : target power to auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 : Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1888 : Control of power take off [PTO]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 : Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0031 : using auxiliary pumps, e.g. pump driven by a different power source than the engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 : Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 : Converting

Abstract

A vehicle drive system for a vehicle including a first prime mover, a first prime mover driven transmission, and a rechargeable power source can be configured for reduced fuel consumption at idle. The vehicle drive system includes an electric motor in direct or indirect mechanical communication with the first prime mover, wherein the electric motor can receive power from the first prime mover driven transmission and can receive power from the first prime mover. The vehicle drive system also includes a control system. The control system causes the electric motor to rotate the first prime mover at a speed so that an electronic control module associated with the first prime mover does not cause fuel to be provided to the first prime mover while the vehicle is stopped, thereby reducing fuel consumption at idle for the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive system for a vehicle including a first prime mover, a first prime mover driven transmission, and a rechargeable power source, the vehicle drive system comprising:

an electric motor configured for direct or indirect mechanical communication with the first prime mover, wherein the electric motor can receive power from the first prime mover and can provide power to the first prime mover; and

a control system configured to control operation of the electric motor, wherein the control system is configured to operate in an idle fuel saving mode when the vehicle is stopped, wherein the control system is configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the first prime mover at a speed at least at an idle set point of the first prime mover while the vehicle is stopped and the accelerator is not depressed in the idle fuel saving mode, wherein an engine control module of the first prime mover reduces fuel provided to the first prime mover due to rotation of the first prime mover by the electric motor at the speed, wherein the speed does not cause the vehicle to accelerate forward while the vehicle is stopped, thereby reducing fuel consumption at idle for the vehicle.

2. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor can provide power to the first prime mover driven transmission through a fly wheel attached to a crank shaft of the prime mover, and wherein the control system causes non-spark operation of the first prime mover in the idle fuel saving mode.

3. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein a PTO gear or a flywheel associated with the first prime mover is between the first prime mover and the electric motor, and wherein the control system causes non-spark operation of the first prime mover in the idle fuel saving mode.

4. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor interfaces with a crankshaft of the first prime mover, a PTO, or a gear or a flywheel associated with the first prime mover or, wherein the electric motor provides power to a crankshaft of the first prime mover through the PTO coupled to a transmission.

5. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, further comprising a hydraulic motor through shaft coupled to be in mechanical communication with a PTO of the first prime mover drive transmission.

6. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the control system is not in bidirectional electronic communication with the engine control module in the idle fuel saving mode.

7. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the electric motor operates in a low speed mode where the prime mover does not consume fuel as the electric motor rotates the first prime mover.

8. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the first prime mover drive transmission includes a reduced engine load at stop mode.

9. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a clutch between the first prime mover and the electrical motor, wherein the clutch is disengaged at steady state speed and reengaged when speed of the electric motor and speed at the first prime mover are synchronized for regenerative braking.

10. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein electric motor performs dampening functions by operating out of phase of accelerations of the first prime mover to offset changes in angular velocity of a crank shaft.

11. A method of retrofitting a vehicle with a hybrid vehicle drive system, the vehicle includes a first prime mover, and a prime mover driven transmission, the method comprising:

attaching an electric motor at a PTO or an interface to be in mechanical communication with the first prime mover, the interface being a gear attached to a flywheel coupled to the first prime mover, a ring gear, or a gear attached directly or indirectly to a crank shaft of the first prime mover; and

operating the electric motor when the vehicle is stopped to drive the first prime mover at a speed, wherein when the vehicle is stopped and an accelerator is not depressed, an engine control module of the first prime mover reduces fuel provided to the first prime mover due to rotation of the first prime mover by the electric motor at the speed, wherein the speed is at or above an idle set point and does not cause the vehicle to accelerate forward while the vehicle is stopped.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the prime mover continues to drive at least one of an alternator, an oil pump, and a water pump while the vehicle is stopped.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the prime mover driven transmission operates in a reduced engine load at stop mode.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising operating the first prime mover to provide power to an accessory through the operation of the electric motor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein operation of the electric motor continues to provide enough torque as the vehicle accelerates such that the request for torque from the first prime mover remains low or zero.

16. A vehicle drive system for a vehicle including a first prime mover, a first prime mover driven transmission, and a rechargeable power source, the vehicle drive system comprising:

an electric motor in direct or indirect mechanical communication with the first prime mover, wherein the electric motor can receive power from the first prime mover driven transmission, and can receive power from the first prime mover; and

a control system, wherein the control system causes the electric motor to rotate the first prime mover at a speed while the vehicle is stopped, thereby reducing fuel consumption at idle for the vehicle in an idle fuel saving mode, wherein an electronic controller module of the first prime mover reduces fuel provided to the first prime mover due to rotation of the first prime mover by the electric motor at the speed, wherein the speed is at or above an idle set point and does not result in the vehicle accelerating forward while the vehicle is stopped.

17. The vehicle drive system of claim 16, wherein the speed is below 1000 RPMS and above 540 RPMs.

18. The vehicle drive system of claim 16, wherein the control system receives feedback associated with idle load increases and adjusts the speed in accordance with the feedback.

19. The vehicle drive system of claim 16, wherein the feedback is from an air conditioning system.

20. The vehicle drive system of claim 16, wherein the electric motor is not rotated when a state of charge of the rechargeable power source is below a first threshold, the first threshold being above zero.