(12) United States Patent
`
`Severinsky et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,104,347 B2
`Sep. 12, 2006
`
`US007l04347B2
`
`HYBRID VEHICLES
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(54)
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Alex J. Severinsky, Washington, DC
`(US); Theodore Louckes, Holly, MI
`(US)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee: Paice LLC, Boca Raton, FL (US)
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 263 days.
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.: 10/382,577
`
`Filed:
`
`(22)
`
`(65)
`
`Mar. 7, 2003
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2003/0217876 A1 Nov. 27, 2003
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60)
`
`(60)
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`Division of application No. 09/822,866, filed on Apr. 2,
`2001, now Pat. No. 6,554,088, which is a continuation-in-
`part of application No. 09/392,743, filed on Sep. 9, 1999,
`now Pat. No. 6,338,391, which is a continuation-in-part of
`application No. 09/264,817, filed on Mar. 9, 1999, now Pat.
`No. 6,209,672.
`Provisional application No. 60/122,296, filed on Mar. 1,
`1999, and provisional application No. 60/100,095, filed on
`Sep. 14, 1998.
`Int. Cl.
`
`B60K 6/02
`
`(2006.01)
`
`...................... .. 180/65.2; 180/65.4; 701/54
`U.S. Cl.
`Field of Classification Search .............. .. 180/65.2,
`180/65.3, 65.4, 65.8, 165; 60/706, 711, 716,
`60/718; 290/17, 40 R, 40 C; 322/16; 477/2,
`477/3; 701/54
`See application file for complete search history.
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
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`
`DE
`DE
`DE
`DE
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`EP
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`EP
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`
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`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
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`Kalberlah, “Electric Hybrid Drive Systems .
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`
`. ”, SAE Paper
`
`.
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner—David R. Durm
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Michael de Angeli
`
`(57)
`
`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 turbo-
`charger 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
`fi.1lly charged, in emergencies, or at rest; a control mecha-
`nism is provided to control the brake system to provide
`linear brake feel under varying circumstances.
`
`(Continued)
`
`41 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
`
`"J*—
`\NVEl'LTEVL/
`1/;
`CHAREER
`
`.
`BATTERY
`BKNK
`
`
`
`X
`\\~NEKTER/ MCHNZ£aE\'L
`
`
`
`
`mg
`
`61
`
`40
`
`THROTTLE
`
`35 4- FUEL
`
`
`ENC-n\NE SPEED
`kU:E\.ERM\<)N
`MOTOR. $PEED
`OPERMOK
`nnzemon
`}Dk'U\\NPUT
`BKTTERY VOLTAGE
`COMMKNDS
`DE(E\.EV.Nl’\0N
`BMTERY CHIXTLGE
`Cl2U\$EMOOE
`KMHENT TEMP.
`
`
`
`ENG\NE
`
`Page 1 of 54
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`FORD 1125
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`

`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
`>>>>>D>>>D>>>>>>>>D>>>>>D>>>D>>>D>>>>>>>>D>D>D>D>D>>D>D>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>D>D>D>D>D>>D>D>
`
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`Papst
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`Matsukata
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`Berman et al.
`Maeda
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`US 7,104,347 B2
`Page 2
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`5,489,001
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`5,515,937
`5,539,318
`5,545,928
`5,547,433
`5,549,524
`5,550,445
`
`>D>>>D>>>>>D>>>>>>>>D>>>D>>>D>>>>>D>>>>>>>>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>D>D>D>D>D>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>>D>D>D>>D>D>D>D>D>D>
`
`3/1989
`8/1989
`5/1990
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`US 7,104,347 B2
`Page 3
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`5,558,173 A
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`5,565,711 A
`5,566,774 A
`5,568,023 A
`5,569,995 A
`5,570,615 A
`5,586,613 A
`5,588,498 A
`5,589,743 A
`5,608,308 A
`5,614,809 A
`5,621,304 A
`5,623,194 A
`5,632,352 A
`5,635,805 A
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`5,643,119 A
`5,644,200 A
`5,650,713 A
`5,650,931 A
`5,653,302 A
`5,656,921 A
`5,660,077 A
`5,664,635 A
`5,667,029 A
`5,669,842 A
`5,672,920 A
`5,675,203 A
`5,675,222 A
`5,678,646 A
`5,679,087 A
`5,680,050 A
`5,685,798 A
`5,691,588 A
`5,697,466 A
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`5,704,440 A
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`5,713,425 A
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`5,713,814 A
`5,714,851 A
`5,722,502 A
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`5,725,064 A
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`5,789,877 A
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`5,789,935 A
`5,791,426 A
`5,791,427 A
`5,799,744 A
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`5,818,116 A
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`5,823,280 A
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`5,826,671 A
`5,831,341 A
`5,833,022 A
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`5,839,530 A
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`5,841,201 A
`5,842,534 A
`5,844,342 A
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`5,856,047 A
`5,856,709 A
`5,862,497 A
`5,865,263 A
`5,873,426 A
`5,875,691 A
`5,883,484 A
`5,883,496 A
`5,887,670 A
`5,887,674 A
`5,890,470 A
`5,890,555 A
`5,893,895 A
`5,895,100 A
`5,895,333 A
`5,898,282 A
`5,899,286 A
`5,904,631 A
`5,905,360 A
`5,907,191 A
`5,908,077 A
`5,909,720 A
`5,914,575 A
`5,915,488 A
`5,915,489 A
`5,923,093 A
`5,924,395 A
`5,927,415 A
`5,927,417 A
`5,928,301 A
`5,929,594 A
`5,931,271 A
`5,934,395 A
`5,935,040 A
`5,943,918 A
`5,944,630 A
`5,947,855 A
`5,951,115 A
`5,951,118 A
`5,951,614 A
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`
`US 7,104,347 B2
`Page 5
`
`JP
`JP
`JP
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`

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`US 7,104,347 B2
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`
`Page 6 of 54
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`FORD 1125
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 12, 2006
`
`Sheet 1 of 17
`
`US 7,104,347 B2
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`F/6. I
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`Page 7 of 54
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`FORD 1125
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`Page 7 of 54
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`FORD 1125
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 12,2006
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`Sheet 2 of 17
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`US 7,104,347 B2
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`Page 8 of 54
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`FORD 1125
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`Page 8 of 54
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`FORD 1125
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 12,2006
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`Sheet 3 of 17
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`Sep. 12,2006
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 12,2006
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`Sheet 5 of 17
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`US 7,104,347 B2
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`FORD 1125
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`Sep. 12, 2006
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`Sheet 6 of 17
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`FORD 1125
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 12,2006
`
`Sheet 8 of 17
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`US 7,104,347 B2
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`FORD 1125
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Sep. 12,2006
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`Sheet 9 of 17
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`US 7,104,347 B2
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`US 7,104,347 B2
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`1
`HYBRID VEHICLES
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a divsional of Application Ser. No.
`09/822,866, filed Apr. 2, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,088
`which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/264,817, filed
`Mar. 9, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,672, issued Apr. 3,
`2001, which in turn claims priority from provisional appli-
`cation Ser. No. 60/100,095, filed Sep. 14, 1998, and is also
`a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/392,743, filed Sep. 9,
`1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,391, which in turn claims
`priority from provisional application Ser. No. 60/122,296,
`filed Mar. 1, 1999.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This application relates to improvements in hybrid
`vehicles, that is, vehicles in which both an internal combus-
`tion engine and one or more electric motors are provided to
`supply torque to the driving wheels of the vehicle. More
`particularly, this invention relates to a hybrid electric vehicle
`that
`is
`fully competitive with presently conventional
`vehicles as regards performance, operating convenience,
`and cost, while achieving substantially improved fuel
`economy and reduced pollutant emissions.
`
`DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
`
`For many years great attention has been given to the
`problem of reduction of fuel consumption of automobiles
`and other highway vehicles. Concomitantly very substantial
`attention has been paid to reduction of pollutants emitted by
`automobiles and other vehicles. To a degree, efforts to solve
`these problems conflict with one another. For example,
`increased thermodynamic efiiciency and thus reduced fuel
`consumption can be realized if an engine is operated at
`higher temperatures. Thus there has been substantial interest
`in engines built of ceramic materials withstanding higher
`combustion temperatures than those now in use. However,
`higher combustion temperatures in gasoline-fueled engines
`lead to increase in certain undesirable pollutants, typically
`NOX.
`Another possibility for reducing emissions is to burn
`mixtures of gasoline and ethanol (“gasohol”), or straight
`ethanol. However, to date ethanol has not become economi-
`cally competitive with gasoline, and consumers have not
`accepted ethanol to any great degree. Moreover, to make an
`alternate fuel such as ethanol available to the extent neces-
`
`sary to achieve appreciable improvements in nationwide air
`quality and fuel conservation would require immense costs
`for infrastructure improvements; not only the entire nation’s
`motor fuel production and delivery system, but also the
`vehicle manufacture, distribution, and repair system, would
`have to be extensively revised or substantially duplicated.
`One proposal for reducing pollution in cities is to limit the
`use of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines and
`instead employ electric vehicles powered by rechargeable
`batteries. To date, all such “straight electric” cars have had
`very limited range, typically no more than 150 miles, have
`insufficient power for acceleration and hill climbing except
`when the batteries are substantially fully charged, and
`require substantial time for battery recharging. Thus, while
`there are many circumstances in which the limited range and
`extended recharging time of the batteries would not be an
`inconvenience, such cars are not suitable for all the travel
`requirements of most individuals. Accordingly, an electric
`
`2
`car would have to be an additional vehicle for most users,
`posing a substantial economic deterrent. Moreover, it will be
`appreciated that
`in the United States most electricity is
`generated in coal-fired power plants, so that using electric
`vehicles merely moves the source of the pollution, but does
`not eliminate it. Furthermore, comparing the respective net
`costs per mile of driving, electric vehicles are not competi-
`tive with ethanol-fueled vehicles, much less with conven-
`tional gasoline-fueled vehicles. See, generally, Simanaitis,
`“Electric Vehicles”, R0ad& Track, May 1992, pp. 126—136;
`Reynolds, “AC Propulsion CRX”, Road & Track, October
`1992, pp. 126-129.
`Brooks et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,192 shows such an
`electric vehicle;
`the invention appears to be directed to
`incorporation of antilock braking and traction control tech-
`nologies into an otherwise conventional electric vehicle.
`Much attention has also been paid over the years to
`development of electric vehicles including internal combus-
`tion engines powering generators,
`thus eliminating the
`defect of limited range exhibited by simple electric vehicles.
`The simplest such vehicles operate on the same general
`principle as diesel-electric locomotives used by most rail-
`roads. In such systems, an internal combustion engine drives
`a generator providing electric power to traction motors
`connected directly to the wheels of the vehicle. This system
`has the advantage that no variable gear ratio transmission is
`required between the engine and the wheels of the vehicle.
`More particularly, an internal combustion engine pro-
`duces zero torq