(12)
`
`United States Patent
`Severinsky et a].
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,104,347 B2
`Sep. 12, 2006
`
`US007104347B2
`
`(54) HYBRID VEHICLES
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(75) Inventors: Alex J. Severinsky, Washington, DC
`(US)' Theodore Louckes H011 MI
`’
`’
`y’
`(Us)
`.
`.
`(73) Asslgnee: Palce LLC, Boca Raton, FL (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent ls extended or adjusted under 35
`
`U-S-C- 154(1)) by 263 days-
`
`DE
`DE
`DE
`DE
`EP
`EP
`
`EP
`
`EP
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/382,577
`(22) Filed:
`Mar. 7, 2003
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`Us 2003/0217876 A1 NO“ 27’ 2003
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(60) Division of application No. 09/822,866, ?led on Apr. 2,
`2001, now Pat. No. 6,554,088, which is a continuation-in-
`part of application No. 09/392,743, ?led on Sep. 9, 1999,
`now Pat. No. 6,338,391, which is a continuation-in-palt of
`application No. 09/264,817, ?led on Mar. 9, 1999, now Pat.
`NO; 6,209,672;
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/122,296, ?led on Mar. 1,
`1999, and provisional application No. 60/100,095, ?led on
`Sep' 14’ 1998'
`(51) Int. C].
`B60K 6/02
`
`(2006.01)
`
`(52) US. Cl. ...................... .. 180/65.2; 180/654; 701/54
`(58) Field of Classi?cation Search .............. .. 180/652,
`180/653; 654; 653; 165; 60/706; 711; 716;
`60/718; 290/17; 40 R; 40 C; 322/16; 477/2;
`477/3; 701 /54
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Clted
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`(Continued)
`
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`
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`Reynolds, “AC Propulsion CRX”, Road & Track, Oct. 1992,
`
`_
`_
`_
`1313' 126’129'
`Kalberlah, “Electrlc Hybrld Drlve Systems .
`NO- 910247, 1991
`
`.
`
`. ”, SAE Paper
`
`d
`.
`(Commue )
`D -d R D
`E .
`P .
`_
`rlmary xammeri 2W1 _
`'
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or FzrmiMlchael de Angell
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`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 e?iciency, 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
`?llly 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.
`
`41 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
`
`MR
`
`u
`
`-'
`
`$TART1NG
`MOTOR
`
`s1
`\% \5/ l6
`
`550mm
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`4% l
`
`ACCELERAUON '
`URECHON
`sperm-(g1
`toMMmos DELELERAUDN
`CRWSE MODE
`
`ENC-dNE SPEED
`MOT OR. SPEED
`EKTTERY \IOLYkCaE
`EMTERY (“MK-1E
`AMElENT TEMP.
`
`Page 1 of 54
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`FORD 1206
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`US 7,104,347 B2
`Page 2
`
`4,815,334
`4,862,009
`4,923,025
`4,951,769
`4,953,646
`5,000,003
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`5,081,365
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`5/1990
`8/1990
`9/1990
`3/1991
`10/1991
`1/1992
`6/1992
`6/1992
`6/1992
`8/1992
`12/1992
`1/1993
`3/1993
`5/1993
`9/1993
`10/1993
`10/1993
`10/1993
`11/1993
`11/1993
`2/1994
`3/1994
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`6/1994
`6/1994
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`2/1996
`2/1996
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`5/1973
`8/1973
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`9/1974
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`4,400,997
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`4,407,132
`4,411,171
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`4,438,342
`4,439,989
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`4,562,894
`4,578,955
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`4,597,463
`4,611,466
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`4,674,280
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`4,697,660
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`4,762,191
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`
`Page 2 of 54
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`FORD 1206
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`

`
`US 7,104,347 B2
`Page 3
`
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`6,007,443 A 12/ 1999 0111mm
`6,007,451 A 12/1999 MatSlll 6t
`6,009,365 A 12/ 1999 Takaha¥a et a1~
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`6,131,680 A 10/2000 Nii et a1.
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`6,146,302 A 11/2000 Kashiwase
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
`Page 6 of 54
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`FORD 1206
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`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 12, 2006
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`Sheet 1 of 17
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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 el