Accessory Power Control via Engine and Electric Motor Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanically-driven vehicle accessories often operate inefficiently at higher engine speeds and cannot function when the engine is off, leading to inadequate performance of critical components like water pumps after the vehicle has been driven.
Innovation Solution
An engine module, energy module, and interface module system that interprets engine and energy data to selectively power accessories via an interface unit, allowing the engine or accessory motor to provide power based on operational needs, ensuring efficient operation within designed ranges and reducing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If accessories are mechanically belt driven or gear driven from the engine, then they can be powered when the engine is running, but they operate inefficiently at higher engine speeds and cannot function when the engine is off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two power source systems (engine mechanical drive and electric motor drive) into a unified accessory power system. The accessory can be powered by the engine through belt/gear drive when the engine is running and operating at appropriate speeds, or by an electric motor when the engine is off or operating at inefficient speeds, ensuring continuous reliable operation while maintaining energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different power sources (engine mechanical drive and electric motor drive) based on real-time operating conditions such as engine speed, accessory power requirements, and efficiency considerations. This dynamic adaptation allows the accessory to operate efficiently across all engine conditions while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If accessories are designed to operate at lower engine speeds, then they can function at engine idle condition, but they operate at inefficient operating bands when the engine operates at higher speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The electric motor acts as an intermediary power source that can directly drive the accessory when the engine is operating at high speeds. This allows the accessory to receive appropriate power levels for efficient operation without being directly coupled to the high-speed engine, thereby maintaining ease of operation across all engine speed ranges while improving energy efficiency.
3Device complexity
If accessories are mechanically driven from the engine, then the structure is simple, but the accessories cannot be powered when the engine is off
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a multi-functional power transmission architecture where the accessory can receive power from multiple sources (engine mechanical drive and electric motor drive) depending on operating conditions. This universal design ensures the accessory can operate in all scenarios (engine on/off, various engine speeds) while maintaining reasonable system complexity through shared control and power transmission components.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes an engine module, an energy module, and an interface module. The engine module is structured to interpret engine data indicative of operation of an engine. The energy module is structured to interpret energy data indicative of an amount of energy stored in an energy storage device. The energy storage device is coupled to an accessory motor and structured to selectively power the accessory motor. The interface unit module is structured to control power transmission from at least one of the engine and the accessory motor to at least one accessory via an interface unit responsive to the engine data and the energy data.