Hybrid vehicle drive system and method for fuel reduction during idle

• US 9,643,593 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Power Technology Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Power Technology Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Dalum, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, MAJDI A
• Application Number:
  US14/745,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 180 6522, 180 65245- 65265, 180 6531, 180 65285, 180165, 477 5, 477 54, 477107, 477110, 477168, 701 1, 701 2, 701 48, 903906, 903930
• 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. The control system causes fuel to be eliminated to the first prime mover while the vehicle is stopped and causes the electric motor to rotate the first prime mover at a speed, thereby reducing fuel consumption at idle for the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive system for a vehicle comprising a first prime mover, the vehicle drive system comprising:

a transmission;

an electric motor in direct or indirect mechanical communication with the first prime mover;

a torque converter disposed between the electric motor and an output of the transmission; and

a control system configured to cause a reduction of fuel provided to the first prime mover, wherein the control system is configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the first prime mover at a speed when the vehicle is stopped, thereby reducing fuel consumption for the vehicle, wherein the torque converter reduces power provided by the electric motor to the output of the transmission while the electric motor rotates the first prime mover at the speed, wherein the first prime mover operates in a cylinder deactivation mode, the electric motor configured to provide power to the first prime mover to provide a smoother idle in the cylinder deactivation mode and to reduce the fuel consumption required by the first prime mover to rotate.

2. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the control system receives feedback from an air conditioning system and adjusts the speed according to the feedback.

3. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the speed is at least high enough to operate an accessory driven by the first prime mover of the first prime mover and the accessory is one or more of an air conditioning system, a power steering system, an oil pumping system and a power brake system.

4. The vehicle 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 the 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 eliminates the fuel to the first prime mover using a fuel pump, a fuel injector or a valve.

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, further comprising 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.

9. The vehicle drive system of claim 1,

wherein the 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.

10. The vehicle drive system of claim 1, wherein the control system disconnects the electric motor from the transmission via a clutch disposed between the electric motor and the transmission.

11. A method of operating a vehicle having 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 to be in communication with the prime mover driven transmission or the first prime mover;

eliminating fuel flow to the first prime mover; and

operating an electric motor directly or indirectly coupled to the first prime mover via a PTO or an interface 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, wherein the electric motor is operated when the vehicle is stopped to drive the first prime mover at a speed so that the first prime mover drives at least one accessory without using fuel, wherein the first prime mover operates in a cylinder deactivation mode, and the electric motor provides power to the first prime mover to provide a smoother idle in the cylinder deactivation mode and to reduce the fuel consumption required by the first prime mover to rotate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the accessories include one or more of an alternator, an oil pump, an air conditioner, and a water pump while the vehicle is stopped.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a prime mover driven transmission is an automatic transmission capable of operating in a reduced engine load at stop mode or is a manual transmission.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving feedback from the accessory to adjust the speed of 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. The method of claim 11, wherein the hybrid vehicle drive system does not provide propulsion.

17. 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 is configured to provide power to the first prime mover; and

a control system configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the first prime mover at a speed while the vehicle is stopped and to reduce the fuel flow to the first prime mover, wherein the control system is configured to use feedback from an accessory to set the speed while the vehicle is stopped, thereby reducing fuel consumption at idle for the vehicle, wherein the accessory is driven by the first prime mover, wherein the first prime mover operates in a cylinder deactivation mode, the electric motor configured to provide power to the first prime mover to provide a smoother idle in the cylinder deactivation mode and to reduce the fuel consumption required by the first prime mover to rotate.

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

19. The vehicle drive system of claim 17, wherein the accessory is an air conditioning system.

20. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the speed is below an idle set point of the first prime mover.

21. The vehicle drive system of claim 17, 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.