Series (ipc) Patents (Class 180/65.245)
  • Patent number: 11965623
    Abstract: A road vehicle having: a frame; four wheels, which are mounted on the frame in a rotary manner; a body, which covers the frame; a compressor, which produces a compressed gas; and at least one tank, which receives the compressed gas from the compressor and has a containing chamber, which is delimited by a wall. The wall of the tank includes: an inner panel, which directly delimits the containing chamber and is in contact with the compressed gas; and an outer panel, which completely surrounds the inner panel and is arranged parallel to the inner panel and at a constant distance from the inner panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: FERRARI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Fabrizio Favaretto
  • Patent number: 11959758
    Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for optimizing vehicle deployment. A software application is used to obtain information about a travel route. The information is used to evaluate an energy storage depletion characteristic of a battery that is used to operate a battery-operated vehicle and to determine whether the battery-operated vehicle can be deployed on the travel route. One of the factors that can affect the energy storage depletion characteristic of the battery is ambient temperature, because battery performance may be adversely affected by extreme temperatures. Consequently, a range of operation of the battery-operated vehicle may be impacted if the travel route has extreme ambient temperatures. If the evaluation indicates that the energy storage depletion characteristic of the battery is unsuitable for the travel route, another battery-operated vehicle with a better battery may be deployed on the travel route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brendan Diamond, Erik J. Christen
  • Patent number: 11951799
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an electrified vehicle and a method for managing such a system, includes a coolant subsystem to cool a battery pack and a refrigerant subsystem. The coolant subsystem includes a battery chiller in fluid communication with a cooling system inlet to the battery pack. The refrigerant subsystem includes a chiller cooling subsystem to cool the battery chiller and a cabin cooling subsystem to cool a passenger cabin, wherein the chiller cooling subsystem and the cabin cooling subsystem are completely separate from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Mackenzie, Sunil Katragadda, Ronald Richard Semel
  • Patent number: 11933058
    Abstract: A hybrid mobile operating machine comprising a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, an articulated arm associated with a pipe, a pumping unit and a stabilization unit, primary services and auxiliary services, wherein the internal combustion engine is suitable to power at least a first and a second power take-off. The mobile operating machine is provided with both a first drive unit which comprises at least one electric accumulator, a first electric motor and a first hydraulic pump, and a second drive unit which comprises at least one second electric motor and a second hydraulic pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: CIFA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Dario Maini, Massimo Calculli, Emanuele Zorzi
  • Patent number: 11891960
    Abstract: A powertrain control system is provided for a vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle for urban air mobility. A powertrain of the vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle is a hybrid type powertrain, in which the output shaft of a rotor driving motor is directly connected to a rotor, a battery is connected to the rotor driving motor to supply power thereto, and an engine and a generator are connected to a battery to charge and discharge the battery. The driving of the engine and the generator is controlled based on required power of the motor and the SOC of the battery in each flight step of the vertical take-off and landing aerial vehicle, and the SOC of the battery is constantly maintained at a predetermined level or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Seong Ik Park
  • Patent number: 11879376
    Abstract: A control method is performed to control a traction device of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine that includes a plurality of cylinders. Each of cylinders has at least one air intake valve, at least one exhaust valve for the combustion gases generated by the internal combustion engine, and a fuel injector. A treatment device is provided for the combustion gases that is active from an actuation temperature. The treatment device is placed downstream of the exhaust valve. The traction device includes an electrical heater for heating the combustion gas treatment device. The traction method further compares a temperature of the combustion gas treatment device with an actuating threshold temperature and actuates the electrical heater and stopping a fuel supply being supplied to one or more of the cylinders as long as the temperature of the combustion gas treatment device is below the actuating threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrei-Alexandru Boiarciuc
  • Patent number: 11850971
    Abstract: A motor generator control system includes: a motor generator; a drive current control unit configured to perform feedback control so that a driving force at a time of power running or the driving force at a time of regeneration of the motor generator is a target driving force; a current coordinate control unit configured to output a d-axis current value and a q-axis current value to the drive current control unit; and a strong field control unit configured to perform strong field control of setting a field to be stronger than a field strength at which a maximum efficiency is obtained. When the strong field control is performed during the regeneration, the motor generator control system executes current consumption control of performing the feedback control by changing the d-axis current value and the q-axis current value so that the driving force is smaller than the target driving force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masato Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 11852221
    Abstract: A planetary gear assembly includes a wheel hub surrounding an axis, and having an end face and a plurality of engaging recesses formed in the end face, and a planetary gear reduce mechanism including a sun gear disposed on and rotatable about the axis, a plurality of planet gears, and first and second ring gears. The planet gears angularly surround the sun gear and mesh with the sun gear and the first and second ring gears. The first ring gear is stationary relative to the planet gears. The second ring gear is arranged between the wheel hub and the first ring gear along the axis. The second ring gear includes a wheel-hub-facing face surrounding the axis and facing the end face, and a plurality of joining protrusions disposed on the wheel-hub-facing face and respectively complementary in shape with and respectively engage the engaging recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: REXON INDUSTRIAL CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Hung-Jung Chiang
  • Patent number: 11834032
    Abstract: A vehicle control device including processor being configured to, when driving sections are present inside a restricted region, extract as a restricted driving section from among driving sections present inside the restricted region a driving section through which it is projected the vehicle will be driven in a restricted time period in which operation of internal combustion engines is restricted, and prepare a driving plan able to drive through the restricted driving section in the EV mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Yokoyama, Hiroya Chiba, Yoshiyuki Kageura, Masanori Shimada, Yoshihiro Sakayanagi, Sui Kurihashi, Hiroki Morita, Makoto Ogiso
  • Patent number: 11807103
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to: output a first command value to the hydraulic control circuit system and then output a second command value to the hydraulic control circuit system during a transition in which the control state of the clutch is switched from a disengaged state to an engaged state when starting the engine; perform first control in which the motor outputs the cranking torque, and second control in which the engine starts operation, when starting the engine; and when the vehicle is in a predetermined state in which a required hydraulic pressure is not secured stably when starting the engine, start output of the first command value when the vehicle is not in the predetermined state, the required hydraulic pressure being a hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic control circuit system to the clutch actuator and required to switch the control state of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keigo Matsubara, Masayuki Baba, Tomoya Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 11791107
    Abstract: A hierarchical voltage control system is provided. A supercapacitor unit and a lithium battery unit are both connected to a DC bus to form a parallel-structure-type hybrid energy storage system, and are each configured with a power device and a switch to control a connection relationship between the corresponding unit and the DC bus. A detection circuit detects current and voltage values of the supercapacitor unit, the lithium battery unit, and the DC bus, detects an operating parameter of a power conversion system, and transmits the operating parameter to a processor, the power conversion system being connected in parallel to the DC bus for bidirectional power conversion of AC and DC energy sources. A microprocessor determines a system operating condition and uses a hierarchical voltage control strategy to control charging and discharging states of the supercapacitor unit and the lithium battery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF AUTOMATION, SHANDONG ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Guangxu Zhou, Dongdong Hou, Mengmei Zhu, Ningran Song, Yuan Liu, Jia Gao, Yongyun Mu, Kun Guo
  • Patent number: 11787294
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile device (AMD) operating in a first mode moves within a physical space to perform various tasks such as displaying information on a screen, following a user, and so forth. The first mode may involve the AMD moving or maintaining a particular pose. While the AMD is in the first mode, a user may apply an external force to the AMD to reposition the AMD to a desired pose. Application of this external force on the AMD is detected and results in the AMD transitioning to a second mode in which the AMD may be repositioned. While in the second mode, the user may reposition the AMD. The second mode may constrain the magnitude of the resulting movement, preventing the user from moving the AMD too quickly which could damage components within the AMD. Once the external force ceases, the AMD may transition back to the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventor: Abhay Gupta
  • Patent number: 11780422
    Abstract: A computer for controlling a drivetrain of a hybrid vehicle including a combustion engine, an electric machine, a battery and a “heated” catalytic converter including an internal heating system. The computer being configured to determine a plurality of values for a criterion pertaining to the energy consumption of the drivetrain as a function of the distribution of torque between the at least one combustion engine and the at least one electric machine, of the at least one combustion mode of the combustion engine, and of the energy consumption due to the use of the catalytic converter, select the minimum value of the consumption criterion, apply the combustion engine torque command, the electric machine torque command, the command pertaining to the energy consumption by the catalytic converter and the command pertaining to the combustion mode of the combustion engine corresponding to the selected value of the consumption criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Inventors: Paul Boucharel, Johannes Hofstetter
  • Patent number: 11777309
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present application provide an energy storage system and a self-start method thereof. The system includes a power conversion system; a DC bus; n single racks, where n is a natural number, and n is greater than or equal to 1; a host computer, connected to each of the n single racks; and a master battery management unit, connected to each of the n single racks, where each of the n single racks includes a first miniature circuit breaker, a DC/DC power module, a slave battery management unit, a wake-up relay, a main positive high voltage relay, a main negative high voltage relay, a CSC module, and a battery box. The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application can resolve the problem that an energy storage system cannot self-start when there is no external power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Xiaowei Yang, Ruirui You
  • Patent number: 11772630
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a processor being configured to: set a target state of charge of the battery; control the internal combustion engine and rotating electric machine and charging and discharging of the battery to make the hybrid vehicle run, so that a state of charge of the battery becomes the target state of charge; and, in a case where a point inside a restricted region where operation of the internal combustion engine is restricted is set as a destination or a waypoint, set the target state of charge to a lower value when an estimated time of arrival at the destination or the waypoint is a point of time outside a restricted time period when operation of the internal combustion engine is restricted in the restricted region than when the estimated time of arrival is a point of time inside the restricted time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Miyazato, Daiki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11760334
    Abstract: The control device of a vehicle includes a position estimating part configured to estimate a position of the vehicle, and a power output part configured to control the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for running use. The power output part is configured to determine a startup position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits from a low emission zone requesting the internal combustion engine be stopped so that startup positions of internal combustion engines of a plurality of vehicles are dispersed at surroundings of the low emission zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Yokoyama, Hiroya Chiba, Yoshiyuki Kageura, Masanori Shimada, Yoshihiro Sakayanagi
  • Patent number: 11685261
    Abstract: Presented are high-voltage electrical systems, control logic, and electric-drive vehicles with optimized motor torque output. A method of operating an electric-drive vehicle includes a controller identifying the vehicle's operating mode and determining calibration settings corresponding to this operating mode. These calibration settings include low and high coolant temperature (CoolTemp) thresholds, and motor-calibrated torque limits as a function of CoolTemp. The controller determines if the present CoolTemp of the power inverter's coolant is greater than the low CoolTemp threshold and less than the high CoolTemp threshold. If so, the controller sets a motor torque limit of the vehicle's electric motor to a torque limit value selected from a fixed torque limit region within the torque limits data between the low and high CoolTemp thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brent S. Gagas, Brian A. Welchko, Kerrie M. Spaven
  • Patent number: 11685323
    Abstract: An off-road vehicle includes a vehicle body, a power system, electrical devices, an electricity storage bank, a generator, and an electric power regulator. The electric power regulator is used to regulate the voltage output from the generator to the electricity storage bank and corresponds to the electricity storage bank. The electric power regulator includes a voltage regulating chip, a switch circuit and voltage stabilizing circuit. The electric power regulator is capable of regulating the voltage output from the generator to the electricity storage bank according to the nominal voltage of the electricity storage bank, and the output voltage of the electric power regulator is greater than the bank voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Zhejiang CFMOTO Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guo Liu, Wenwu Li, Chuanwen Bi, Zhangjun Deng
  • Patent number: 11661165
    Abstract: A method of controlling an alternator in a marine propulsion system includes receiving a demand value, wherein the demand value relates to an amount of output power produced by the engine that is demanded for propulsion of the marine vessel, and determining whether the demand value exceeds a demand threshold. The alternator is then controlled to reduce the charge current output to the battery and/or reduce a portion of engine output power from the engine that is utilized by the alternator when the demand value exceeds the demand threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Steven J. Gonring
  • Patent number: 11652384
    Abstract: A terminal assembly for a traction motor includes a bus bar having a ring shape and a terminal holder configured to accommodate the bus bar therein to cover an exterior of the bus bar. The terminal assembly includes: the terminal holder which is perforated to form a coupling hole therein through which a surface of the bus bar is exposed; and a temperature sensor unit which is inserted into the coupling hole and senses a temperature of the bus bar. The terminal assembly for the traction motor according to the present disclosure has a structure in which the temperature sensor unit is coupled to the terminal holder. Thus, the epoxy application process of the related art may be omitted, the occurrence of errors due to the epoxy application may be fundamentally prevented, and the assembly process may be further simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yeong Woo Seo, Jong Bin Park, Hyun Ho Park, Jung Kyu Yim
  • Patent number: 11648921
    Abstract: An advance driver brake customizing method applied to a brake customizing system is provided to identically implement a braking feeling set according to a driver's vehicle regardless of a vehicle type by transplanting driver braking feeling information of a driver's vehicle into a braking feeling matching vehicle. A braking characteristic of a brake of a brake system, which is applied to the braking feeling matching vehicle, is directed to follow the braking characteristic of a brake of the brake system, which is applied to the braking feeling matching vehicle, through driver matching control in conjunction with a wireless network. In particular, even when the same driver changes a vehicle or a driver for the same vehicle is changed, the same braking feeling is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Soo-Hyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 11648930
    Abstract: A traveling mode setting unit configured to cause a shift to shift to a second traveling mode via a third traveling mode based on a traveling state of the vehicle traveling in the first traveling mode. The internal combustion engine control unit includes a derivation unit configured to derive a second rotational speed of the internal combustion engine at the time of transition from the third traveling mode to the second traveling mode based on a first rotational speed of the internal combustion engine at the time of transition from the first traveling mode to the third traveling mode, the traveling state of the vehicle and the second reduction ratio, and the internal combustion engine control unit is configured to control a third rotational speed of the internal combustion engine in the third traveling mode to be a value between the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mamiko Inoue, Junpei Hatsuda, Yusuke Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11613375
    Abstract: An exemplary dual motor input includes a common shaft for coupling to a member to be rotationally driven, a first motor rotationally coupled to a first drive shaft, the first drive shaft coupled to the common shaft, and a second motor rotationally coupled to a second drive shaft, the second drive shaft coupled to the common shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk L. Groninga, Daniel B. Robertson
  • Patent number: 11472308
    Abstract: A concrete mixer vehicle includes a chassis, a tractive assembly coupled to the chassis and configured to propel the concrete mixer vehicle, a mixing drum rotatably coupled to the chassis, and an electromagnetic device configured to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy to drive the tractive assembly. In a first configuration, a first battery module is removably coupled to the chassis and configured to provide the electrical energy to the electromagnetic device, and in a second configuration, the first battery module is removed from the chassis and replaced with a second battery module, the second battery module removably coupled to the chassis and configured to provide the electrical energy to the electromagnetic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Robert S. Messina, Chris K. Yakes, Nader Nasr, Chad K. Smith, Mike Bolton, Loren DeVries, Neil Dekarske, Jon J. Morrow, David J. Steinberger, Yanming Hou
  • Patent number: 11440434
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electric generator, a drive motor, a power storage device, a power consuming device, and a controller. The controller is configured to control driving of the power consuming device. The controller is configured to execute power consumption increasing control when a vehicle power balance value is larger than a first threshold while the drive motor operates in a braking-period power generation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Asuka Takasaki
  • Patent number: 11437665
    Abstract: Disclosed are battery systems for powering a laser weapon, and methods of thereof. A system includes a battery bank comprising a plurality of cylindrical battery cells electrically connected in series and parallel to form a plurality of modules, wherein an air flow path through each module defined by a spacing between a surface of each battery cell and its neighboring battery cell. Furthermore a control system is configured to provide cooling via airflow from the one or more fans to temperature control the battery modules to prevent the temperature difference between a first side of the battery module and a second side of the battery module from rising above a predetermined threshold while the laser weapon is active and consuming energy from the battery bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Robert Soto, Uwe Rockenfeller, Kaveh Khalili
  • Patent number: 11434021
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising: a fuel store (104) configured to store a fuel, the fuel comprising a hydrocarbon; a fuel reformer (108) coupled to the fuel store (104) and configured to: receive an input comprising the hydrocarbon; and process the received input to produce an output comprising hydrogen; and a fuel cell (112) coupled to the fuel reformer (108) and configured to: receive the hydrogen from the fuel reformer (108); and produce, using the received hydrogen, electricity for use on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventors: Gordon Charles Woodhouse, Graham Andrew Holland
  • Patent number: 11383592
    Abstract: A mounting structure for a drive device includes: a power generation unit having an engine and a generator driven by the engine to generate electric power; and a drive unit having a motor for traveling and a power transmission mechanism that outputs torque from the motor toward a driving wheel. A frame member of a vehicle body is provided inside an engine compartment. The power generation unit and the drive unit are arranged, inside the engine compartment, side by side in a width direction of a vehicle so as not to contact each other, and are each connected to the frame member via a mount member. Portions of the power generation unit and the drive unit, which are close to each other in the width direction, are connected by a connecting member having an anti-vibration elastic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Kodama, Tomohito Ono
  • Patent number: 11378035
    Abstract: An engine control device includes a processor configured to execute a fuel injection control including: a first fuel injection processing for injecting an amount of fuel according to a first intake air amount based on an intake air flow rate detected by an air flow sensor; and a second fuel injection processing for injecting an amount of fuel according to a second intake air amount based on a throttle opening degree detected by a throttle position sensor. The processor selects the first fuel injection processing when a pulsation rate of the intake air flow rate is equal to or lower than a pulsation rate threshold value, and selects the second fuel injection processing when the pulsation rate is higher than the pulsation rate threshold value. The pulsation rate threshold value is smaller when a temperature correlation value is low than when the temperature correlation value is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Hirata, Shintaro Hotta, Takashi Amano
  • Patent number: 11342873
    Abstract: A controller for a switched reluctance motor, which includes a rotor, a stator, and coils wound around the stator and which is mounted on a vehicle as a traveling drive source, the controller including: a control unit performing regenerative control to apply a positive voltage and a negative voltage to the coils so that a current value of the coils becomes a first target current value in a predetermined regenerative region. Further, when the battery charge state value is a predetermined value or more, the control unit reduces a section where a negative voltage is applied to the coils to be narrower than that in a case where a battery charge state value is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Deguchi, Hideki Kubonoya, Tadashi Fujiyoshi, Yuki Iwama
  • Patent number: 11225161
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of movable charging vehicles, and specifically provides a start locking system for a movable charging vehicle. The invention aims to overcome the defect that the movable charging vehicle can still be started and moved during the being charging and charging of an onboard energy storage system. The start locking system of the invention comprises: a start loop, the movable charging vehicle being able to start when the start loop is switched on; and a first detection element for identifying whether an onboard energy storage system is able to enter an operating state, with the first detection element accessing the start loop, wherein the first detection element disconnects the start loop when the onboard energy storage system is able to enter an operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: NIO (ANHUI) HOLDING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changcheng Yang, Honggang Xu
  • Patent number: 11203242
    Abstract: A vehicle incorporates a gravity-assist energy harvesting suspension system including one or more gravitational positive displacement pumps. The positive displacement pump has a cylinder and a reciprocating piston inside the cylinder. The piston is adapted for movement along a compression stroke and an opposite extension stroke in response to a gravitational bounce of the vehicle when in motion. A turbine comprising a rotor shaft and attached blades is mounted relative to a distal end of a fluid outlet hose connected to the pump. Fluid discharged through the outlet hose acts on the blades, thereby moving and imparting rotational energy to the rotor shaft. A generator is operatively connected to the turbine, and is adapted for converting the rotational energy generated by the rotor shaft to electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventor: Matthew Alan Kaskowicz
  • Patent number: 11198352
    Abstract: A relay (25) connects and disconnects an electrical circuit to which an inverter (16) and an electricity storage device (19) are connected. A BCU (22) controls the electricity storage device (19). An HC (27) controls an electric motor (15), the inverter (16) and the BCU (22). The HC (27) and the BCU (22) respectively have FET switches (30, 31) for controlling supply and stop of the excitation current in the relay (25). When the electricity storage device (19) is determined to be in an abnormal state, the BCU (22) transmits an abnormal signal to the HC (27), and when a predetermined time has elapsed, turns off (opens) the first FET switch (30) of the BCU (22). The HC (27) executes stop processing based upon the abnormal signal received from the BCU (22) and then turns off (opens) the second FET switch (31) of the HC (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Itaru Naya, Seiji Ishida, Ken Takeuchi, Mutsumi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11166410
    Abstract: A reduction drive including an electric motor disposed in a housing and driving a motor shaft, a Hall Effect sensor adjacent to the motor, a power and control module, and a pinion gear in the housing and driven by the motor shaft. A planetary gear reduction assembly includes a first ring gear rotatably disposed in the housing and driven by the pinion gear, a sun gear engaged to and driven by the first ring gear, a second ring gear non-rotatably fixed to a housing surface, and a plurality of planet gears mounted on a carrier assembly, each planet gear rotating with the sun gear, and on the second ring gear. An output axle is driven by the carrier assembly and has an axis of rotation that is offset from and parallel to the motor shaft axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Nathan W. Bonny
  • Patent number: 11162468
    Abstract: A control device comprising an electric power supply control part controlling a supply of electric power to a rotary electrical machine so as to use the output electric power of a second battery to make up for insufficient output electric power of a first battery when driving a vehicle by just drive power of the rotary electrical machine and a startup preparation starting part starting a supply of electric power to the catalyst device to start preparation for startup of the internal combustion engine if driving a vehicle by just drive power of the rotary electrical machine and the state of charge of the second battery becomes less than the state of charge for preparation for startup. The startup preparation starting part is configured to increase the state of charge for preparation for startup when the maximum output electric power of the first battery calculated based on the state of the first battery is small compared to if it is large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11110931
    Abstract: A method of controlling a range extender of an electric vehicle comprises using actual measured or modelled pollution levels dynamically to set a target state of charge level for a range extender of an electric vehicle at a particular location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Asher Bennett, Richard Lidstone-Scott, David Hampton, Tomasz Kusmierz, Robert Watson, John Hankinson
  • Patent number: 11105315
    Abstract: A method and device for controlling output power in a primary frequency modulation process of a wind turbine are provided by the present disclosure. The method includes predicting a rotational speed of the wind turbine; determining frequency modulation remaining time based on the predicted rotational speed, the frequency modulation remaining time being time for which the wind turbine is able to continue to output frequency modulation power as the output power used for the primary frequency modulation without affecting a recovery of the wind turbine after the primary frequency modulation; controlling the output power based on the determined frequency modulation remaining time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING GOLDWIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Fogh Odgaard, Mengting Yu
  • Patent number: 11021061
    Abstract: A power interface (14) connected to an ultra capacitor (16), a power source (18), and a load (20), with a controller (22) for managing the power interface (14), and monitoring the ultra capacitor (16), power source (18), and demands of the load (20) attached thereto. The power interface (12) selectively switches the circuit between the ultra capacitor (16) and the power source (18), and between the load (20) in response to the level of demand of the load (20) attached thereto such that the ultra capacitor (16) powers peak demand and the power source (18) powers steady demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: AMT, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinai Dumrongkietiman, Yinghua Zhu, Norm Mortensen
  • Patent number: 11021064
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a battery pack heating apparatus. The battery pack heating apparatus is applicable portably and externally to a vehicle and includes: an electrical energy conversion component, including an energy storage device, a first set of switches and a second set of switches; a heating interface component including a plurality of heating interfaces connected to the energy storage device via the first set of switches to form a first heating loop and connected to the energy storage device via the second set of switches to form a second heating loop, each of the plurality of heating interfaces being configured to be connected to a battery pack of one vehicle; and a heating control module configured to control a direction of electrical energy transfer between the electrical energy conversion component and the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited
    Inventors: Zhimin Dan, Xiyang Zuo, Wei Zhang, Yizhen Hou, Wenbin Lu, Xingyuan Wu, Taosheng Zhu
  • Patent number: 11014437
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for vehicle battery charge reduction. A hybrid electric vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine; an electric motor; a battery electrically coupled to the electric motor; a battery charger electrically coupled to the battery and mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine; one or more sensors, wherein each sensor provides a respective sensor signal, wherein each sensor signal represents a respective current operating condition of the hybrid electric vehicle; and a computing component configured to: perform a first comparison of a state-of-charge of the battery to a charge threshold, perform a second comparison of one or more of the current vehicle operating conditions to respective nominal vehicle operating conditions, wherein none of the vehicle operating conditions describe a condition of the battery, and reduce charging of the battery based on the first comparison and the second comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: David W. Cosgrove, Luis Carlos Quinteros Torres, Hidekazu Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 11015657
    Abstract: A parallel hybrid power transmission mechanism includes a crank shaft, a driven device to which a power of an engine and/or a motor generator is transmitted, an input shaft disposed on the driven device, a flywheel connected to the crank shaft, and a rotor disposed on the motor generator, including a first connecting portion connected to an outside of the flywheel. The rotor is configured to supply and receive a rotational power to and from the flywheel through the first connecting portion. The parallel hybrid power transmission mechanism further includes a coupling arranged independently from the rotor, including a second connecting portion connected to an inside of the flywheel, the coupling being configured to receive the rotational power of the flywheel through the second connecting portion, and an intermediate shaft connecting the coupling and the input shaft to each other, the intermediate shaft being configured to transmit the rotational power received by the coupling to the input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sumio Yagyu, Kazuto Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10988033
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a first wheel (101) arranged to be driven by a first drive source and a second wheel (101) arranged to be driven by a second drive source, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are transversely located on the vehicle, the control system comprising a controller (102) and a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is arranged to monitor the power differential between the power being applied to the first wheel by the first drive source and the power being applied to the second wheel by the second drive source, wherein upon a determination that the power differential between the power being applied to the first wheel and the second wheel is greater than a predetermined value, the controller is arranged to reduce the power differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: PROTEAN ELECTRIC LIMITED
    Inventors: Helen Monkhouse, Richard Thomas Burke, Christopher David Hilton
  • Patent number: 10961949
    Abstract: A system including a closed cycle engine having a piston body defining a hot side and a cold side and having a piston assembly movable within the piston body. An electric machine is operatively coupled with the piston assembly. A control system includes one or more sensors operable to detect a piston movement characteristic of the piston assembly movable within the piston body. A controller is communicatively coupled with the one or more sensors and a controllable device. The controller is configured to determine a control command based at least in part on data received from the one or more sensors. The control command is selected based at least in part to cause the electric machine operatively coupled with the piston assembly to generate a preselected electrical power output. The controller provides the determined control command to the controllable device. The controllable device is operable to control an input to an engine working fluid disposed within the piston body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshua Tyler Mook, Michael Thomas Gansler, Scott Douglas Waun, Kevin Michael VandeVoorde, Aigbedion Akwara, Michael Robert Notarnicola, Jason Joseph Bellardi, Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun, Mary Kathryn Thompson, Mohamed Osama
  • Patent number: 10940903
    Abstract: A modular military vehicle and a method for using a modular military vehicle is disclosed. The modular military vehicle can comprise a vehicle hull; a crew module removably mounted to the vehicle hull; a plurality of wheels mounted to the vehicle hull, the plurality of wheels comprising at least one driven wheel; and an electric drive system configured to drive the at least one driven wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Tie Down, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Sloan Mackarvich, Stephen J. Tegge, Patrick William Maloney, Franklin B. Jones, Justin Hikaru Alcober, Matthew Phillip Vickers, Warren van Nus
  • Patent number: 10913443
    Abstract: A powertrain control system may include an engine and a controller. The controller may be configured to, responsive to a maximum difference in battery voltage values remaining less than a threshold value during a period in which a number of engine stop-start cycles exceeds a limit, enable an automatic stop-start system of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hanyang B. Chen, Karen Price, Michael J. Irby
  • Patent number: 10913327
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a cooling water circuit and a heater. The cooling water circuit allows a cooling water to circulate between an engine and a heater core in a heating operation. The engine is a power source of the vehicle. The heater core is configured to heat air using a heat of the cooling water. The heater is located downstream of the engine and upstream of the heater core in the cooling water circuit and is configured to heat the cooling water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okamoto, Takayuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10894520
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle comprised of an electric power supply control part controlling the supply of electric power to electrical equipment and an electric power transfer control part controlling the transfer of electric power between a first battery and a second battery. The electric power supply control part supplies the electric power of the second battery to a catalyst device if the electric power which can be output by the first battery is smaller than the total demanded output electric power of the electrical equipment and a need arises to supply electric power to the catalyst device so as to warm up the catalyst device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10869425
    Abstract: A utility vehicle having operator selectable onboard and remote controls also includes a prime mover and a power generating device driven thereby, first and second electric wheel motors, and a drive controller in communication with the wheel motors to control the output thereof and in communication with the onboard controls. A radio control receiver is in communication with the drive controller and with a radio control transmitter having steering and speed controls. The vehicle includes a control mode switch having a first position where the drive controller receives steering and speed control inputs from the onboard controls, and a second position where the drive controller receives steering and speed control inputs from the radio control transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Jake Siudyla, Alyn G. Brown, Ivan E. Fox, Jesse L. Probst, Scott W. Keller, K. Mike McCoy
  • Patent number: 10730551
    Abstract: A tracked all-terrain vehicle is shown which includes an internal combustion engine, an electric generator, and a plurality of electric motors which drive movement of the tracks of the tracked all-terrain vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Borud
  • Patent number: 10724432
    Abstract: An integrated fuel cell and engine combustor assembly includes an engine combustor having a combustion chamber fluidly coupled with a compressor and a turbine. The assembly also includes a fuel cell stack circumferentially extending around the combustion chamber of the combustor. The fuel cell stack includes fuel cells configured to generate electric current. The fuel cell stack is positioned to receive discharged air from the compressor and fuel from a fuel manifold. The fuel cells in the fuel cell stack generate electric current using the discharged air and at least some of the fuel. The fuel cell stack is positioned to radially direct partially oxidized fuel from the fuel cells into the combustion chamber of the combustor. The combustor combusts the partially oxidized fuel into one or more gaseous combustion products that are directed into and drive the downstream turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew Philip Shapiro, Narendra Digamber Joshi