Mobile Energy Chassis Control for Vehicle Range Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to accurately manage and plan for electric energy storage in vehicles, leading to potential vehicle stranding due to insufficient charge and the need for recharging infrastructure, which is often fixed and inaccessible.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes an energy chassis with a fuel source, energy converter, and communication device to dynamically manage and distribute electric energy to vehicles based on their location, state of charge, and fuel supply, allowing mobile charging and range extension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed location recharging infrastructure is used, then vehicles can be recharged at designated locations, but vehicles may become stranded in areas without charging infrastructure and route flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from static fixed charging infrastructure to a mobile energy chassis that can move to wherever vehicles are located. The energy chassis is no longer confined to fixed locations but dynamically relocates based on vehicle needs, thereby maintaining recharging reliability while restoring route flexibility to vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy chassis serves as an intermediary between the fuel source and vehicles requiring recharging. Instead of vehicles traveling to fixed charging points, the energy chassis acts as a mobile intermediary that brings energy directly to vehicles, resolving the contradiction between recharging availability and route flexibility.
2Reliability
If more fixed charging infrastructure is deployed, then vehicle recharging availability increases, but system complexity and infrastructure cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The energy chassis is designed as a universal platform that can serve multiple vehicles with different energy types (battery-powered and fuel cell vehicles) through a single mobile unit. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate fixed charging infrastructures for different vehicle types, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive recharging coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile energy chassis acts as a versatile intermediary that can adapt to different vehicle energy needs without requiring specialized fixed infrastructure for each vehicle type, thereby achieving broad recharging coverage with reduced infrastructure complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If battery-powered vehicles are used, then zero emissions during operation are achieved, but travel distance is limited due to shorter range compared to fuel-consuming vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by proactively deploying the mobile energy chassis to vehicles before they exhaust their energy supply. By anticipating energy needs and providing top-up charging en route, the system extends the effective travel distance of battery-powered vehicles without requiring them to return to fixed charging infrastructure, thereby maintaining zero emissions while overcoming range limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile energy chassis serves as an intermediary energy supply source that enables battery-powered vehicles to extend their travel distance by providing intermediate recharging stops, allowing these vehicles to achieve longer effective ranges while maintaining their zero-emission operational advantage.
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 on-time arrival of vehicles by providing mobile charging solutions, reducing the impact of limited battery range and fixed infrastructure limitations, and ensuring vehicles can continue their journeys without stranding.
Implementation Method 1
an energy converter to convert at least a portion of the supply of the fuel from the fuel source into electric energy
Data Source
AI summary
A system including a plurality of vehicles, each having disposed onboard a location device, a communication device, a control system, and an energy storage device. Thea control system may determine vehicle locations of one or more vehicles of the plurality of vehicles and states of charge of the energy storage devices onboard the one or more vehicles. The control system may communicate with the communication devices of the one or more vehicles and may direct which of one or more vehicles are to couple with each other, and thereby be powered by electric energy stored in the energy storage devices onboard the one or more vehicles directed to couple. The control system may direct which of the one or more vehicles are to couple with and be powered by the electric energy of the energy storage devices based on one or more of: the vehicle locations and the states of charge of the vehicle energy storage devices.