Hybrid electric vehicle having alternate power sources

• US 6,536,547 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel J. Meaney Jr
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Meaney Jr
• Inventors: Meaney, Daniel J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEBE, GERALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/305,912
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.6, 123/3, 123/DIG.12
• US Class Current: 180/65.25
• 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 6/22 characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0644 the gaseous fuel being hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0671 Means to generate or modify a fuel, e.g. reformers, electrolytic cells or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/06 Apparatus for de-liquefying, e.g. by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/904 Component specially adapted for hev
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 Combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/908 Fuel cell

Abstract

A hybrid electric vehicle having alternate fuel sources is shown. The hybrid electric vehicle includes an alternating current to direct current converter for producing and storing a direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device. A fuel converter receives fuel in a first state and converts the fuel into a combustible material or a combustible fuel in a second state which is stored in a combustible material storage device. A driving system for transporting the hybrid electric vehicle includes a direct current motor operatively connected to the direct current voltage storage device. The direct current motor is responsive to a stored direct current voltage for driving the driving system in response to a first control signal. A combustible material engine is operatively coupled to the driving system and drives the driving system in response to a second control signal. A control device is operatively connected to the direct current motor and to the combustible material engine to selectively apply at least one of the first control signal to the direct current motor and the second control signal to the combustible material engine to enable the driving system to be powered or driven by at least one of the direct current voltage and the combustible material.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising

an alternating current to direct current converter for producing and storing a direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device prior to starting of a hybrid electric vehicle;

a fuel converter for receiving a composition fuel in a first state and converting said composition fuel into a combustible material in a second state and storing said combustible material in a combustible material storage device at at least one of prior to the starting of and the operation of the hybrid electric vehicle;

a driving system for transporting a hybrid electric vehicle, said driving system including

a direct current motor operatively coupled to said driving system and to said direct current voltage storage device, said direct current motor being responsive to a stored direct current voltage for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal;

a combustible material engine operatively coupled to said driving system and to said combustible material storage device, said combustible material engine being responsive to stored combustible material for driving said driving system in response to a second control signal; and

a control device operatively connected to said direct current motor and to said combustible material engine to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material engine to enable said driving system to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

2. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 wherein said control device selectively applies both said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material engine to enable said driving system to be concurrently driven by said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

3. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 wherein said alternating current to direct current converter includes

a direct current control device for controlling the direct current characteristics of the direct current voltage and for applying said direct current voltage having said predetermined characteristics to said direct current voltage storage device.

4. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a fuel converter for converting in response to an electrical current an organic fuel in said first state into a combustible material in said second state.

5. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 4 further comprising an organic fuel storage device located within said hybrid electric vehicle for storing said organic fuel in a first state and for applying said organic fuel in said first state to said fuel converter for converting said organic fuel into said combustible material in said second state.

6. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 further comprising

a fuel converter responsive to an alternating current voltage for converting fuel in said first state into a combustible material in said second state.

7. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 6 further comprising

a fuel storage device located within said hybrid electric vehicle for storing a fuel in a first state and applying a fuel in said first state to said fuel converter.

8. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 6 wherein said control device enables said fuel converter to respond to an alternating current voltage for converting said fuel in said first state into a combustible material in said second state and storing said combustible fuel in said combustible fuel storage device.

9. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 further comprising

a combustible material to direct current generator being operatively connected to said combustible material storage device for producing a direct current voltage.

10. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 9 wherein said control device applies said direct current voltage generated by said combustible material to direct current generator to at least one of said direct current voltage storage device and said direct current motor.

11. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 10 wherein said control device enables the production of a direct current voltage from at least one of an alternating current source and said combustible material to direct current generator.

12. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 10 wherein said control device enables the production of a direct current voltage from at least one of an alternating current source and said combustible material to direct current generator and applies the produced direct current voltage to said direct current voltage storage device.

13. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 10 wherein said control device enables the production of a direct current voltage from at least one of an alternating current source and said combustible material to direct current generator and applies the produced direct current voltage to at least one of said direct current motor and said direct current voltage storage device.

14. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 13 wherein said control device applies the produced direct current voltage concurrently to said direct current motor and said direct current voltage storage device.

15. A dual fuel source for a motor vehicle comprising

an alternating current to direct current converting system located on a motor vehicle, said converting system being adapted to receive an alternating current voltage and being responsive thereto for producing a direct current voltage prior to starting of a motor vehicle;

a direct current voltage storage device located on said motor vehicle for storing said direct current voltage;

a fuel composition system located on said motor vehicle for converting a composition fuel in a first state into a combustible fuel in a second state at at least one of prior to the starting of and the operation of the motor vehicle;

a composition fuel storage device located on said motor vehicle for storing said composition fuel;

a combustible fuel storage device located within said motor vehicle for storing said combustible fuel;

a driving member located within and for driving said motor vehicle, said driving member including

a direct current drive motor responsive to stored direct current voltage for driving said driving member in response to a first control signal;

a combustible fuel engine responsive to the combustible fuel stored in said combustible fuel storage device for driving said driving member in response to a second control signal; and

a control device operatively connected to said direct current drive motor and to said combustible fuel engine to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal to said direct drive motor and said second control signal to said combustible fuel motor to enable said driving member to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible fuel.

16. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 15 wherein said control device selectively applies both said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible fuel motor engine to enable said driving system to be concurrently driven by said direct current voltage and said combustible fuel.

17. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 15 wherein said alternating current to direct current converter includes

a direct current control device for controlling the direct current characteristics of the direct current voltage and for applying said direct current voltage having said predetermined characteristics to said direct current voltage storage device.

18. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 15 wherein said composition fuel is gasoline and said fuel converter converts gasoline in said first state into hydrogen in said second state.

19. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 15 wherein said composition fuel is an organic fuel and said fuel converter converts said an organic fuel in said first state into hydrogen in said second state.

20. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 15 wherein said composition fuel is a water and said fuel converter converts said water in said first state into hydrogen in said second state.

21. A motor vehicle having a dual fuel source an comprising input located on a motor vehicle adapted to be operatively connected to an alternating current voltage source;

an alternating current to direct current converter located on said motor vehicle and being operatively coupled to said input for receiving said alternating current voltage and producing a direct current prior to starting of a motor vehicle;

a direct current control circuit operatively connected to said converter for producing a direct current voltage having a predetermined electrical characteristic;

a direct current voltage storage device located on said motor vehicle and operatively connected to said direct current control circuit for storing said direct current voltage;

a composition fuel storage device within said motor vehicle for storing a composition fuel in a first state;

a composition fuel conversion device operatively connected to said composition fuel storage source for receiving said composition fuel in said first state and converting said composition fuel into a combustible fuel in a second state at at least one of prior to the starting of and the operation of the motor vehicle;

a combustible fuel storage device located within said motor vehicle for storing said combustible fuel;

a driving member located within and for driving said motor vehicle, said driving member including

a direct current drive motor responsive to stored direct current voltage for driving said driving member in response to a first control signal;

a combustible fuel engine responsive to the combustible fuel stored in said combustible fuel storage device for driving said direct current driving motor in response to a second control signal; and

a control device operatively connected to said direct current drive motor and to said combustible fuel engine to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal and said second control signal to said direct current drive motor and to said combustible fuel engine to enable said driving member to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible fuel.

22. The motor vehicle of claim 21 wherein said control device selectively applies both said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible fuel engine to enable said driving system to be concurrently driven by said direct current voltage and said combustible fuel.

23. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 21 wherein said alternating current to direct current converter includes

a direct current control device for controlling the direct current characteristics of the direct current voltage and for applying said direct current voltage having said predetermined characteristics to said direct current voltage storage device.

24. A hybrid electric vehicle having a driving system driven by a direct current motor powered by a battery and a internal combustion engine powered by a combustible fuel and a battery charging device adapted to be connected to a source of alternating current for charging the battery prior to starting of a hybrid electric vehicle, said hybrid electric vehicle comprising

a fuel converter for receiving a composition fuel in a first state and converting said composition fuel into a combustible material in a second state at at least one of prior to the starting of and the operation of the hybrid electric vehicle, and storing said combustible material in a combustible material storage device;

and

a control device operatively connected to and controlling said direct current motor for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal and said internal combustion engine for driving said driving system in response to a second control signal, said control device being adapted to selectively apply at least one of said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said internal combustion engine to enable said driving system to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

25. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 24 wherein said combustible fuel converter is responsive to the source of alternating current for converting said combustible fuel into a combustible material in a second state and for storing said combustible material in a combustible material storage device.

26. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 25 wherein said control device controls the alternating current source to enable the battery charger to charge the battery to a desired charging level and the fuel converter to fill the combustible material fuel storage device to at least one of a desired volume level and desired weight level.

27. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 24 wherein said control device concurrently applies said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material engine to enable said driving system to be driven by both said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

28. A method of driving a motor vehicle with alternate fuel sources comprising the steps of

producing with an alternating current to direct current converter a direct current voltage prior to starting of a motor vehicle;

storing said direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device;

receiving with a fuel converter a fuel in a first state and converting said fuel into a combustible material in a second state at at least one of prior to the starting of and the operation of the motor vehicle; and

storing said combustible material in a combustible material fuel storage device.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of transporting with a driving system the motor vehicle wherein said driving system includes a direct current motor operatively coupled to said direct current voltage storage device and said direct current motor is responsive to stored direct current voltage for driving said driving system in response to a first control signal and a combustible material motor operatively coupled to said driving system is responsive to stored combustible material for driving said driving system in response to a second control signal;

and

selectively applying with a control device operatively connected to said direct current motor and to said combustible material motor at least one of said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material motor to enable said driving system to be driven by at least one of said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

30. The method of claim 29 the step of selectively applying includes said control device selectively applying both said first control signal to said direct current motor and said second control signal to said combustible material engine to enable said driving system to be concurrently driven by said direct current voltage and said combustible material.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of producing includes using a direct current control device for controlling the direct current characteristics of the direct current voltage.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of applying includes applying said direct current voltage having said predetermined characteristics to said direct current voltage storage device.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of

generating a direct current voltage with a combustible fuel to direct current generator enabling a direct current voltage to be produced from at least one of an alternating current source and said combustible fuel.