2177 results about "Regenerative brake" patented technology

A plug-in hybrid propulsion system includes a fast energy storage device that preserves battery life, where the energy storage elements of the hybrid drive train may be charged with externally supplied electricity as well as energy from the engine or regenerative braking. Electronic switches, passive electronics, an enclosure, controller circuitry, and/or control algorithms are used to manage the flow of power between a fuel powered engine, a battery, a fast energy storage system, traction motors, a charger, ancillary systems, an electrical distribution system, and/or a drive train.

This invention relates to plug-in hybrid propulsion systems where the energy storage element of the hybrid drive train may be charged with externally supplied electricity as well as energy from the engine or regenerative braking. The invention is a plug-in hybrid system with a fast energy storage and delivery system. In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a fuel powered engine, a battery, a fast energy storage system, power converters, controllers, drive motors, an electrical distribution system, and a drive train. Additionally, the invention relates to plug-in hybrids that provide services to the electrical utility when the vehicle is connected to the utility grid.

A prosthetic leg having an electronically controlled regenerative prosthetic knee. In certain embodiments of the present invention the knee may be passive, whereby it is used only to generate electrical energy. In other embodiments, the knee may be active, whereby it can be used to assist with or completely control gait, as well as to generate electrical energy. The knee makes use of an actuator motor/generator to control gait and/or to generate electrical energy. An electronic control system is provided to control overall operation of the prosthetic leg, to distribute generated electrical energy, and to transfer excess electrical energy to one or more storage devices for later use. A prosthetic leg of the present invention having an active prosthetic knee may be especially helpful in assisting an amputee with activities that impart a high torque load to the knee joint.

A fuel management control method for a hybrid electric vehicle drive having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor arranged in parallel such that both can propel the vehicle; the system including an electric motor driven fuel pump and a programmable microprocessor; and wherein the method further includes monitoring vehicle speed and sensing braking pressure and directing signals of both vehicle speed and braking to the microprocessor and processing such inputs in accordance with an aggressive fuel management program including shut-off of fuel flow to the gas engine in response to vehicle braking at vehicle speeds above a predetermined maximum hysteresis speed and maintaining the fuel shut off during vehicle coasting above a predetermined speed while controlling the electric motor to provide regenerative braking or vehicle start during such fuel shut off modes of operation.

A system for a hybrid vehicle driver by an operator, comprising of an energy storage device, a regenerative braking system coupled to the energy storage device, a dissipative braking system coupled to the vehicle, a brake lever, a haptic operator interface, and a control system for operating one or both of the regenerative and dissipative braking system in response to actuation of the brake lever, and providing feedback to the operator through the haptic interface differentiating a type of braking operation.

Strategies other than immediate elimination of regenerative braking (FIG. 2) are invoked when an incipient wheel lock-up is detected, the ABS becomes active, and/or incipient wheel slip is detected. The strategies include: reducing the regenerative braking torque as a function of the coefficient of friction of a surface on which the vehicle is traveling (FIG. 3); and adjusting regenerative braking in relation to the rate at which wheel slip is changing (FIG. 4). Some of the strategies may be applied on an individual wheel basis (FIG. 5), and some of the strategies may be applied in conjunction with operating friction brakes of the vehicle to apply at least some of the reduction in regenerative braking torque as friction brake torque (FIG. 1).

A method is provided for controlling the braking of a vehicle that has a first set of friction brakes for applying a first apply brake force to a first set of wheels and a second set of friction brakes for applying a second brake apply force to a second set of wheels. A powertrain assembly is coupled to the second set of wheels. The powertrain assembly includes a regenerative braking unit capable of recapturing kinetic energy from the second set of wheels. The vehicle is braked in a first phase of control using regenerative braking to brake the second set of wheels to achieve up to a first value of braking. The vehicle is braked in a second phase of control using the regenerative braking to maintain braking of the second set of wheels at the first value of braking force while selectively applying the first friction brakes to the first set of wheels up to a second value of braking.

A hydrogen gas generation system is provided for use in a mobile vehicle. The mobile vehicle may be for example, a car or truck or other vehicle such as a balloon, dirigible, airship, ship, or boat. The vehicle has an on-board hydrogen generator for generating hydrogen gas, preferably using an electrolysis process. The hydrogen produced by the electrolysis process is stored in an on-board hydrogen storage tank. Hydrogen from the storage tank is flowed into a vehicle propulsion system where the hydrogen gas is consumed to provide power to propel the vehicle. An on-board electrical generation system provides at least some of the electricity for the electrolysis process. In one example, the vehicle has an on-board electrical generator for providing electricity for the electrolysis process. The on-board electric generation system may be, for example, a solar photovoltaic cell system, a wind turbine generator system, or a regenerative braking generator, for example. Depending on the particular electrical generation process or processes used, the vehicle may generate hydrogen gas when moving, when coasting or braking, or when long-term parked.

Aircraft landing gear comprised of a wheel hub motor/generator disks stack, includes alternating rotor and stator disks mounted with respect to the wheel support and wheel. The wheel hub motor/generator can provide motive force to the wheel when electrical power is applied, which may be applied prior to touch-down thus decreasing the difference in relative velocities of the tire radial velocity with that of the relative velocity of the runway thus greatly reducing the sliding friction wear of said tire. After touchdown the wheel hub motor/generator may be used as a generator thus applying a regenerative braking force and/or a motorized braking action to the wheel. The energy generated upon landing maybe dissipated through a resistor and/or stored for later use in providing a source for motive power to the aircraft wheels for the purpose of taxiing and ground maneuvers of said aircraft.

To provide additional charge storage for an electric vehicle, an additional battery (100) is connected in parallel with a regenerative braking direct charged battery (22) through a current limiting circuit (104 or 120). The additional battery (100) is charged by an external charger such as a plug-in charger or a solar panel that supply minimal current to prevent generation of battery heat. Current flows from the additional battery (100) to the regenerative braking charged batteries (22) so that both batteries can be charged. However, when excessive charge is drawn to drive the vehicle electric motor (20), the current limiter circuit (104 or 120) serves to prevent the discharge of additional battery (100) from creating excessive heat in the additional battery (100). Further, when regenerative braking is applied the current limiter circuit (120), or a diode buffer (102) in combination with current limiter (104), serves to prevent charging from creating excessive heat in the additional battery (100) and eliminates the need for a cooling structure in the additional battery (100).

The invention is a method and system to provide negative torque to an electric vehicle (EV, FCEV, hybrid electric powertrain (HEV)) powertrain when only the electric motor is engaged and the accelerator pedal is released with the ultimate objective to provide consistent vehicle performance under varying operating conditions. This deceleration is at a calibratable amount for a calibratable time period using a hierarchical strategy employing a variety of means including dissipating the vehicle's kinetic energy as heat in the motor; regenerative braking; and activating a mechanical braking system. This negative torque on the powertrain is provided only briefly thereby reducing the total kinetic energy dissipation. The invention provides the driver a vehicle deceleration response similar in "feel" to releasing the accelerator of a conventional ICE vehicle under all operating modes, while maintaining optimal energy recovery.

A stabilized electric distribution system for use in a vehicle having electric assist. The system electrically couples an electric assist bus to an accessory load bus while protecting the first electrical bus from electric assist and regenerative braking induced voltage variations. An energy management controller selectively controls each of a electric motor/generator, a DC/DC converter, and an alternator to affect electric energy distribution within the system. Preferably, the electric energy distribution is controlled to maintain the first electrical bus voltage within a predefined voltage range.

A brake apparatus for a vehicle generally sets an upper limit value of regenerative braking force to the maximum value of the regenerative braking force which can be generated at the present. In the case of a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the total braking force, the sum of front-wheel braking force (front-wheel hydraulic braking force+regenerative braking force) and rear-wheel braking force (rear-wheel hydraulic braking force), is rendered coincident with a target braking force corresponding to a brake pedal depressing force, and the regenerative braking force is set to a largest possible value equal to or less than the upper limit value. As a result, the regenerative braking force can be larger than front-wheel-side target distribution braking force. The upper limit value is decreased from the maximum value by an amount corresponding to the degree of easiness of occurrence of a locking tendency at the driven wheels (front wheels).

Thermal management of various components such as electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, super- or ultracapacitors), power converters and/or control circuits, in electrically powered vehicles may employ active temperature adjustment devices (e.g., Peltier devices), which may advantageously be powered using electrical energy generated by the traction electric motor during regenerative braking operation. Temperature adjustment may include cooling or heating one or more components. The adjustment may be based on a variety of factors or conditions, for instance sensed temperature, sensed current draw, sensed voltage, sensed rotational speed.

A brake apparatus for a vehicle controls braking force acting on front wheels by hydraulic braking force (front-wheel-side vacuum-booster hydraulic pressure fraction+linear-valve differential pressure fraction), which is frictional braking force, and regenerative braking force, and controls braking force acting on rear wheels by hydraulic braking force (rear-wheel-side vacuum-booster hydraulic pressure fraction) only, to thereby perform regeneration-coordinative brake control. During performance of ABS control, the apparatus sets the limit regenerative braking force to a force under which locking of the front wheels does not occur in a case in which the force acts on the front wheels, which are wheels undergoing regenerative braking, and adjusts the regenerative braking force such that the regenerative braking force does not exceed the limit regenerative braking force.

The invention relates to a regenerative braking control method of an electric car and a device thereof, which are characterized in that a throttle signal, a braking signal, the current speed of the car and the SOC (state of charge) value of a battery are acquired during the running process of the car, when the current speed of the car is larger than the preset minimum feedback speed of the car, and the throttle opening is smaller than the preset feedback threshold value or the braking signal, the feedback moment is calculated according to the current speed and the braking depth; when the SOC value of the battery is smaller than the preset upper limit, the feedback moment is output to charge the battery pack; and when the SOC value of the battery reaches the preset upper limit, an electricmachine controller controls an electric machine not to generate braking feedback charge current, and braking is carried out according to the traditional braking method. The method and the device can increase the utilization rate of battery energy, the car can be kept smooth during the travelling, the regenerative braking can be also realized, and in addition, the SOC value of the battery can be real-timely monitored, too, so the battery is prevented from being damaged when the battery is over charged downhill.