Hybrid vehicles
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
- at least two wheels, operable to receive power to propel said hybrid vehicle;
a first alternating current (AC) electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel said hybrid vehicle;
a second AC electric motor;
an engine coupled to said second electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel the hybrid vehicle, and/or to said second electric motor to drive the second electric motor to generate electric power;
a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter having an AC side coupled to said first electric motor, operable to accept AC or DC current and convert the current to DC or AC current respectively;
a second AC-DC converter coupled to said second electric motor, at least operable to accept AC current and convert the current to DC;
an electrical storage device operable to store energy converted to DC by said AC-DC converters and to provide energy to be converted to AC by at least said first AC-DC converter to power at least said first electric motor; and
a controller;
wherein a rate of change of torque output of said engine is limited to a threshold value, wherein when a rate of change of road load exceeds said threshold value of the rate of change of torque output of the engine, said controller is operable to operate said first motor and/or said second motor to supply additional power to at least said two wheels to supply remaining required torque.
6 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine, a traction motor, a starter motor, and a battery bank, all controlled by a microprocessor in accordance with the vehicle'"'"'s instantaneous torque demands so that the engine is run only under conditions of high efficiency, typically only when the load is at least equal to 30% of the engine'"'"'s maximum torque output. In some embodiments, a turbocharger may be provided, activated only when the load exceeds the engine'"'"'s maximum torque output for an extended period; a two-speed transmission may further be provided, to further broaden the vehicle'"'"'s load range. A hybrid brake system provides regenerative braking, with mechanical braking available in the event the battery bank is fully charged, in emergencies, or at rest; a control mechanism is provided to control the brake system to provide linear brake feel under varying circumstances.
94 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
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at least two wheels, operable to receive power to propel said hybrid vehicle; a first alternating current (AC) electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel said hybrid vehicle; a second AC electric motor; an engine coupled to said second electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel the hybrid vehicle, and/or to said second electric motor to drive the second electric motor to generate electric power; a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter having an AC side coupled to said first electric motor, operable to accept AC or DC current and convert the current to DC or AC current respectively; a second AC-DC converter coupled to said second electric motor, at least operable to accept AC current and convert the current to DC; an electrical storage device operable to store energy converted to DC by said AC-DC converters and to provide energy to be converted to AC by at least said first AC-DC converter to power at least said first electric motor; and a controller; wherein a rate of change of torque output of said engine is limited to a threshold value, wherein when a rate of change of road load exceeds said threshold value of the rate of change of torque output of the engine, said controller is operable to operate said first motor and/or said second motor to supply additional power to at least said two wheels to supply remaining required torque. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of control of a hybrid vehicle, said hybrid vehicle comprising:
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at least two wheels, operable to receive power to propel said hybrid vehicle; a first alternating current (AC) electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel said hybrid vehicle; a second AC electric motor; an engine coupled to said second electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel the hybrid vehicle, and/or to said second electric motor to drive the second electric motor to generate electric power; a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter having an AC side coupled to said first electric motor, operable to accept AC or DC current and convert the current to DC or AC current respectively; a second AC-DC converter coupled to said second electric motor, at least operable to accept AC current and convert the current to DC; an electrical storage device operable to store energy converted to DC by said AC-DC converters and to provide energy to be converted to AC by at least said first AC-DC converter to power at least said first electric motor; and a controller, operable to start and stop the engine to minimize fuel consumption, and to control the operation of said engine and said first and second motors, and wherein said controller limits a rate of change of torque output of said engine to a threshold value, and wherein when a rate of change of road load exceeds said threshold value of the rate of change of torque output of the engine, said controller is operable to operate said first motor and/or said second motor to supply additional power to at least said two wheels to supply remaining required torque. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, comprising:
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operating a first alternating current (AC) electric motor comprised in the hybrid vehicle to propel the hybrid vehicle, comprising; providing direct current (DC) from an electrical storage device to a DC side of a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter; the first AC-DC converter converting the DC to AC; providing the AC to the first AC electric motor to drive the AC electric motor; and providing power from the first AC electric motor to at least two wheels of the hybrid vehicle; starting and operating an engine comprised in the hybrid vehicle to propel the vehicle and/or drive a second AC electric motor comprised in the hybrid vehicle to generate electric power, comprising providing power to the at least two wheels and/or the second AC electric motor respectively; converting the generated electric power from AC to DC using a second AC-DC converter; storing the converted electric power in the electrical storage device; limiting a rate of change of torque output of the engine to a threshold value; and operating the first and/or the second AC electric motors to supply additional power to the at least two wheels to supply remaining required torque when a rate of change of road load exceeds the threshold value of the rate of change of torque output of the engine. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of control of a hybrid vehicle, said hybrid vehicle comprising:
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at least two wheels, operable to receive power to propel said hybrid vehicle; a first alternating current (AC) electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel said hybrid vehicle; a second AC electric motor; an engine coupled to said second electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel the hybrid vehicle, and/or to said second electric motor to drive the second electric motor to generate electric power; a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter having an AC side coupled to said first electric motor, operable to accept AC or DC and convert the AC or DC to DC or AC respectively; a second AC-DC converter coupled to said second electric motor, at least operable to accept AC and convert the AC to DC; an electrical storage device operable to store energy converted to DC by said AC-DC converters and to provide energy to be converted to AC by at least said first AC-DC converter to power at least said first electric motor; and a controller, operable to monitor road load and battery charging load; wherein said controller performs the following additional steps; starts and stops said engine at any speed of said hybrid vehicle; disables engine operation under operational circumstances where supplying the load with torque from said engine would result in the engine being required to supply torque at a level less than 20% of a maximum torque output (MTO) of said engine; and enables engine operation at any required combination of its speed and its torque, except said condition of disabling operation. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, comprising:
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operating a first alternating current (AC) electric motor comprised in the hybrid vehicle to propel the hybrid vehicle, comprising; providing direct current (DC) to a DC side of a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter, said DC being supplied from an electrical storage device; the first AC-DC converter converting the DC to AC; providing the AC to the first AC electric motor to drive the AC electric motor; and providing power from the first AC electric motor to at least two wheels of the hybrid vehicle; starting and operating an engine comprised in the hybrid vehicle to propel the vehicle and/or drive a second AC electric motor comprised in the hybrid vehicle to generate electric power, comprising providing power to the at least two wheels and/or the second AC electric motor respectively; converting the generated electric power from AC to DC using a second AC-DC converter; storing the converted electric power in the electrical storage device; and disabling engine operation when load on the engine results in the engine being required to supply torque at a level that is substantially less than a maximum torque output (MTO) of the engine; wherein said step of starting and operating the engine comprises starting and operating the engine at any required combination of its speed and its torque, except when the load on the engine would result in the engine being required to supply torque at a level that is substantially less than the MTO of the engine; and wherein said step of disabling and said step of starting and operating said engine occur independently of any particular speed of the hybrid vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
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at least two wheels, operable to receive power to propel said hybrid vehicle; a first alternating current (AC) electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel said hybrid vehicle; a second AC electric motor; an engine coupled to said second electric motor, operable to provide power to said at least two wheels to propel the hybrid vehicle, and/or to said second electric motor to drive the second electric motor to generate electric power; a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter having an AC side coupled to said first electric motor, operable to accept AC or DC current and convert the current to DC or AC current respectively; a second AC-DC converter coupled to said second electric motor, at least operable to accept AC current and convert the current to DC; an electrical storage device operable to store energy converted to DC by said AC-DC converters and to provide energy to be converted to AC by at least said first AC-DC converter to power at least said first electric motor; and a controller operable to; start and stop said engine at any speed of said hybrid vehicle; monitor a signal responsive at least to road load; and start and operate said engine when said signal corresponds to a value at least equal to a setpoint (SP), wherein SP is approximately 20% of the MTO of said engine, and disable engine operation when said signal corresponds to a value less than the same or a different setpoint. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, comprising:
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operating a first alternating current (AC) electric motor comprised in the hybrid vehicle to propel the hybrid vehicle, comprising; providing direct current (DC) to a DC side of a first alternating current-direct current (AC-DC) converter, wherein said DC originates at an electrical storage device; the first AC-DC converter converting the DC to AC; providing the AC to the first AC electric motor to drive the AC electric motor; and providing power from the first AC electric motor to at least two wheels of the hybrid vehicle; starting and operating an engine comprised in the hybrid vehicle to propel the vehicle and/or drive a second AC electric motor comprised in the hybrid vehicle to generate electric power, comprising providing power to the at least two wheels and/or the second AC electric motor respectively; converting the generated electric power from AC to DC using a second AC-DC converter; storing the converted electric power in the electrical storage device; and disabling engine operation when load on the engine results in the engine being loaded to a value SP that is substantially less than a maximum torque output (MTO) of the engine; wherein said step of starting and operating the engine comprises starting and operating the engine at any required combination of its speed and its torque, except when the load on the engine would require the engine to supply less than SP; and wherein said steps of disabling and starting and operating said engine occur independently of any particular speed of the hybrid vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification