Electric off-road wheeled vehicle

• US 9,975,425 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2017
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Consortium de Recherche BRP - Universite de Sherbrooke S.E.N.C.
• Original Assignee: Consortium De Recherche Brp-Universite De Sherbrooke S.E.N.C.
• Inventors: Monfette, David, Rioux, Roger, Gagnon, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Bryan A
• Application Number:
  US15/656,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20170320388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/22 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of main drive shafting, e.g. cardan shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/344 having a transfer gear
• 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 20/08 Dashboard means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/006 the electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0411 Arrangement in the front part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0422 Arrangement under the front seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2023/0858 with electric means, e.g. electro-hydraulic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/08 for changing number of driven wheels , for switching from driving one axle to driving two or more axles B60K17/3515 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/062 acting on transmission parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/124 Buggies, Quads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/61 : Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/02 : Motor 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A method of shutting down an off-road vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes two rear wheels, two front wheels, a motor selectively operatively connected to the wheels, a front driveshaft selectively connected to the motor to selectively drive the two front wheels, and a rear driveshaft connected to the motor to drive the two rear wheels. The method includes: interrupting operation of the motor; and automatically operatively connecting the front driveshaft to the motor once the operation of the motor has been interrupted.

Claims

1. A method of shutting down an off-road vehicle, the vehicle including two rear wheels, two front wheels, a motor selectively operatively connected to the wheels, a front driveshaft selectively connected to the motor to selectively drive the two front wheels, and a rear driveshaft connected to the motor to drive the two rear wheels, the method comprising:

interrupting operation of the motor; and

automatically operatively connecting the front driveshaft to the motor once the operation of the motor has been interrupted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically connecting a rear left drive axle to a rear right drive axle such that the two rear wheels are rotatable together.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically connecting a front left drive axle to a front right drive axle such that the two front wheels are rotatable together.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein automatically connecting the front left drive axle to the front right drive axle comprises connecting the front left and right drive axles together with a front gear assembly, the front gear assembly operatively connecting the front left and right drive axles to the front driveshaft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein interrupting operation of the motor includes moving a vehicle key to an “

off”

position.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the motor is an electric motor; and

the vehicle further includes at least one battery electrically connected to the electric motor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving a shifter of the vehicle to a park position;

and

wherein interrupting operation of the motor includes interrupting operation of the motor in response to the shifter moving to the park position.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically engaging a parking brake in response to the shifter moving to the park position, the parking brake being operatively connected to at least one of the electric motor and at least one of the wheels.