Working Vehicle Flywheel Power Split for High-Load Engine Assist
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional energy recovery systems for vehicles, such as those described in Japanese Patent No. 5554323, fail to efficiently assist the rotational power of an engine with rotational power from a flywheel due to shared planetary gear mechanisms that cause speed reduction, making it difficult to effectively support engine power during high work loads.
Innovation Solution
A working vehicle design with independent power transmission paths for the engine and flywheel, including a speed-increasing mechanism for the engine's power to the flywheel and direct transmission of the flywheel's power to the transmission, allowing for separate control of power flow and independent rotational speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a shared planetary gear mechanism is used for both engine-to-flywheel and flywheel-to-transmission power transmission, then the structure is simplified, but the rotational speed of power output to the transmission is reduced, making it difficult to effectively assist engine power during high work loads
Solution Approach 1:
The power transmission system is segmented into independent paths: the engine-to-flywheel transmission path and the flywheel-to-transmission path. This segmentation allows each path to have optimized gear ratios, enabling the flywheel-to-transmission path to maintain high rotational speed for effective power assistance while the engine-to-flywheel path can use speed reduction for energy storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The flywheel-to-transmission power transmission path is extracted from the shared planetary gear mechanism. This allows the flywheel's rotational energy to be transmitted directly to the transmission without being constrained by the gear ratios required for engine-to-flywheel energy storage, thereby maintaining high rotational speed for effective power assistance.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a speed-increasing mechanism is added to the engine-to-flywheel power transmission path, then the rotational energy storage capacity of the flywheel is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power transmission system is divided into separate paths with dedicated functions. The engine-to-flywheel path includes a speed-increasing mechanism optimized for energy storage, while the flywheel-to-transmission path is optimized for power delivery. This segmentation allows each path to be independently optimized without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between different power transmission modes using clutches. The speed-increasing mechanism is engaged during engine-to-flywheel energy storage and disengaged during flywheel-to-transmission power delivery. This dynamic operation allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements without permanent structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective assistance of engine rotational power by the flywheel even under high work loads, enhancing energy efficiency and power output.
Implementation Method 1
a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear, a planetary gear, and a ring gear, the ring gear may be fixed non-rotatably, the rotational power of the engine may be input to the planetary gear and transmitted to the first flywheel via the sun gear
Implementation Method 2
a first flywheel to rotate upon receipt of rotational power of the engine
Data Source
AI summary
A working vehicle includes an engine, a first flywheel to rotate upon receipt of rotational power of the engine, a transmission to selectively receive rotational power of the engine or rotational power of the engine and the first flywheel, speed-change the received rotational power, and output the speed-changed rotational power, a first power transmission path to transmit the rotational power of the engine to the first flywheel, and a second power transmission path to transmit the rotational power of the first flywheel to the transmission. The first and second power transmission paths are independent of each other. The first power transmission path includes a first clutch to selectively allow or interrupt transmission of rotational power from the engine to the first flywheel. The second power transmission path includes a second clutch to selectively allow or interrupt transmission of rotational power from the first flywheel to the transmission.