US007237634B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`US 7,237,634 B2
`(10) Patent N0.:
`
` Severinsky et al. (45) Date of Patent: *Jul. 3, 2007
`
`
`(54) HYBRID VEHICLES
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Alex J. Severinsky, Washington, DC
`(US); Theodore Louckes, Holly, MI
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: PAICE LLC, Bonita Springs, FL (US)
`
`US PATENT DOCUMENTS
`913,846 A
`3/1909 Pieper
`1,824,014 A
`9/1931 Froelich
`2,666,492 A
`1/1954 Nims et al.
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`DE
`
`(Contmued)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`2517110
`10/1975
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl. N0.: 11/229,762
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jan. 13, 2006
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2006/0100057 A1
`
`May 11, 2006
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(60) Division of application No. 10/3 82,577, filed on Mar.
`7, 2003, now Pat. No. 7,104,347, which is a 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. 09/264,817, filed on Mar. 9,
`1999, now Pat. No. 6,209,672, said application No.
`10/382,577 and a continuation-in-part of application
`No. 09/392,743, filed on Sep. 9, 1999, now Pat. No.
`6,338,391.
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/122,296, filed on Mar.
`1, 1999, provisional application No. 60/100,095, filed
`on Sep. 14, 1998.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`B06K 6/02
`(52) US. Cl.
`.................... 180/65.2; 180/654; 180/701;
`180/54
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search ............... 180/652,
`180/653, 65.4, 65.8, 165; 477/2, 3; 701/54
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`>7
`
`Winkelman et al, SAE paper 730511, “Computer Simulation .
`(1973).
`
`.
`
`.
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary ExamineriDavid R. Dunn
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or FirmiMichael 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
`fully 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.
`
`306 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
`
`13
`
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`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`Page 3
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 3, 2007
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`Sheet 1 of 17
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 3, 2007
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`Sheet 4 of 17
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 3, 2007
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`Jul. 3, 2007
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 3, 2007
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`Sheet 9 of 17
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 3, 2007
`
`Sheet 10 of 17
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 3, 2007
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`Sheet 11 of 17
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`US 7,237,634 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 3, 2007
`
`Sheet 14 of 17
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`1
`HYBRID VEHICLES
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This is a divisional application of application Ser. No.
`10/382,577 filed Mar. 7, 2003 now US. Pat. No. 7,104,347,
`which was a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/822,866
`filed Apr. 2, 2001, now US. Pat. No. 6,554,088, which was
`a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/264,817 filed Mar. 9,
`1999, now US. Pat. No. 6,209,672, issued Apr. 3, 2001,
`which in turn claimed priority from provisional application
`Ser. No. 60/100,095, filed Sep. 14, 1998, and was also a
`continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/392,743, filed Sep. 9,
`1999, now US. Pat. No. 6,338,391 issued Jan. 15, 2002, in
`turn claiming priority from provisional application Ser. No.
`60/122,296, filed Mar. 1, 1999.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`in hybrid
`This application relates to improvements
`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
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`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
`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”, Road & Track, May 1992, pp. 126-136;
`Reynolds, “AC Propulsion CRX”, Road & Track, October
`1992, pp. 126-129.
`Brooks et al US. 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 torque at zero engine speed (RPM) and reaches
`its torque peak somewhere in the middle of its operating
`range. Accordingly, all vehicles driven directly by an inter-
`nal combustion engine (other than certain single-speed
`vehicles using friction or centrifugal clutches, and not useful
`for normal driving) require a variable-ratio transmission
`between the engine and the wheels, so that the engine’s
`torque can be matched to the road speeds and loads encoun-
`tered. Further, some sort of clutch must be provided so that
`the engine can be mechanically decoupled from the wheels,
`allowing the vehicle to stop while the engine is still running,
`and to allow so