Electric vehicles with extended range

• US 9,290,098 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tai Dung Nguyen
• Original Assignee: Tai Dung Nguyen
• Inventors: Nguyen, Tai Dung
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US13/296,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/48, 746/65.R, 746/65.A, 903/903, 180/65.275, 180/65.21, 180/65.23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/354 having separate mechanical assemblies for transmitting drive to the front or to the rear wheels or set of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 20/02 of initiating means control mechanisms in general G05G
• 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 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/102 of individual wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• 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 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19051 : Single driven plural drives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20012 : Multiple controlled elements

Abstract

The present invention discloses electric vehicles and methods to operate such vehicles, comprising an electric drive capable of moving the vehicles, together with a non-battery operative feature to enhance the performance of the vehicle, such as extending the range or increasing the power. The non-electrical enhanced feature is independent and not integrated with the electric drive, to enable the return of the vehicle design to pure electrical power with minimum modification.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising

a first drive system configured to drive a first wheel of the electric vehicle, wherein the first drive system comprises a battery powering an electric motor;

a second drive system configured to drive a second wheel of the electric vehicle, wherein the second drive system is powered by a non-battery power source;

wherein the first wheel is coupled to a first axle, wherein the second wheel is coupled to a second axle wherein the first axle is different from the second axle;

a manual controller operated by a driver of the electric vehicle,

wherein the manual controller is configured to provide a mutually exclusive operation of the first and the second drive systems,

wherein the manual controller is configured to exclude operations in which the first and the second drive systems operate simultaneously.

2. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 further comprising

a capability of charging the battery of the first drive system when the second drive is engaged with the second wheel.

3. An electric vehicle as in claim 1

wherein the manual controller comprises a first drive setting, a second drive setting, a first reverse setting, and a second reverse setting,

wherein in the first drive setting, the first drive system is engaged with the first wheel and the second drive system is disengaged from the second wheel,

wherein in the second drive setting, the second drive system is engaged with the second wheel and the first drive system is disengaged from the first wheel,

wherein in the first drive setting, the first drive system drives the first wheel to move the electric vehicle forward,

wherein in the second drive setting, the second drive system drives the second wheel to move the electric vehicle forward,

wherein in the first reverse setting, the first drive system drives the first wheel to move the electric vehicle backward,

wherein in the second reverse setting, the second drive system drives the second wheel to move the electric vehicle backward.

4. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 wherein the manual controller comprises

a charge setting, wherein in the charge setting, the second drive system charges the battery while driving the second wheel.

5. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 wherein at least one of

the first axle consists of only the first wheel, or

the second axle consists of only the second wheel.

6. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 wherein

there are one or more wheels coupled to the first axle, in addition to the first wheel, or

there are one or more wheels coupled to the second axle, in addition to the second wheel.

7. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 wherein

there is at least one more wheel coupled to the first axle and the first drive is configured to drive only the first wheel, or

there is at least one more wheel coupled to the second axle and the second drive is configured to drive only the second wheel.

8. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 wherein

there is at least one more first wheel coupled to the first axle and the first drive is also configured to drive the at least one more first wheel, or

there is at least one more second wheel coupled to the second axle and the second drive is also configured to drive the at least one more second wheel.

9. An electric vehicle as in claim 1 wherein

there are one or more first wheels coupled to the first axle and the first drive is configured to drive more than one wheel of the one or more first wheels, or

there are one or more second wheels coupled to the second axle and the second drive is configured to drive more than one wheel of the one or more second wheels.

10. An electric vehicle comprising

a first drive system configured to drive a first axle of the electric vehicle, wherein the first drive system comprises a battery powering an electric motor;

a second drive system configured to drive a second axle of the electric vehicle, wherein the second drive system is powered by a non-battery power source;

a manual controller operated by a driver of the electric vehicle,

wherein the manual controller is configured to provide a mutually exclusive operation of the first and the second drive systems,

wherein the manual controller is configured to exclude operations in which the first and the second drive systems operate simultaneously.

11. An electric vehicle as in claim 10 further comprising

a generator for charging the battery of the first drive system by the second drive system.

12. An electric vehicle as in claim 10

wherein the manual controller comprises a first drive setting, a second drive setting, a first reverse setting, and a second reverse setting,

wherein in the first drive setting, the first drive system is engaged with the first wheel and the second drive system is disengaged from the second wheel,

wherein in the second drive setting, the second drive system is engaged with the second wheel and the first drive system is disengaged from the first wheel,

wherein in the first drive setting, the first drive system drives the first wheel to move the electric vehicle forward,

wherein in the second drive setting, the second drive system drives the second wheel to move the electric vehicle forward,

wherein in the first reverse setting, the first drive system drives the first wheel to move the electric vehicle backward,

wherein in the second reverse setting, the second drive system drives the second wheel to move the electric vehicle backward.

13. An electric vehicle as in claim 10 further comprising

a sensor to inform the driver of the conditions of the vehicle.

14. An electric vehicle as in claim 10 wherein at least one of

the first axle comprises only one first wheel, or

the second axle comprises only one second wheel.

15. An electric vehicle as in claim 10 wherein

there are one or more wheels coupled to the first axle, or

there are one or more wheels coupled to the second axle.

16. An electric vehicle comprising

a first wheel coupled to a first axle;

a second wheel coupled to a second axle;

a first drive system configured to drive the first wheel or the first axle of the electric vehicle, wherein the first drive system comprises a battery powering an electric motor;

a second drive system configured to drive the second wheel or the second axle of the electric vehicle, wherein the second drive system is powered by a non-battery power source;

a manual controller operated by a driver of the electric vehicle,

wherein the manual controller is configured to provide a mutually exclusive operation of the first and the second drive systems,

wherein the manual controller is configured to exclude operations in which the first and the second drive systems operate simultaneously.

17. An electric vehicle as in claim 16 wherein at least one of

the first axle consists of only the first wheel, or

the second axle consists of only the second wheel.

18. An electric vehicle as in claim 16 wherein

there are one or more wheels coupled to the first axle, in addition to the first wheel, or

there are one or more wheels coupled to the second axle, in addition to the second wheel.

19. An electric vehicle as in claim 16 wherein

there are one or more first wheels coupled to the first axle and the first drive is configured to drive only one wheel of the one or more first wheels, or

there are one or more second wheels coupled to the second axle and the second drive is configured to drive only one wheel of the one or more second wheels.

20. An electric vehicle as in claim 16 wherein

there are one or more first wheels coupled to the first axle and the first drive is configured to drive the first axle, or

there are one or more second wheels coupled to the second axle and the second drive is configured to drive the second axle.