With Means On Vehicle For Generating Power For The Electric Motor Patents (Class 180/65.31)
  • Patent number: 11894539
    Abstract: An apparatus for powering trucks including a power module skid and supporting structure for fitting on a truck. The skid housing hydrogen fuel cell modules, battery sub packs, cooling means and cooling management, and integrated power electronics, to provide an electrical drive train of the truck with a constant high voltage DC power supply. An integrated system using renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gases using one or more trucks, in which an integrated system includes: means for providing renewable energy; means for using the renewable energy to synthesise hydrogen; means for storing the synthesised hydrogen; The integrated system includes hybrid hydrogen power modules fitted to each truck including hydrogen fuel cell modules and battery sub packs so that the battery sub packs and the battery sub packs are recharged by the hydrogen fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: First Mode IPP Limited
    Inventors: Julian Jeremy Soles, Christopher Jason Voorhees
  • Patent number: 11752886
    Abstract: A vehicle installation structure for a fuel cell stack that includes: a framework member disposed at a vehicle lower side; a fuel cell stack that is disposed at a vehicle front section or a vehicle rear section, and that is elastically supported by the framework member via a vibration isolating member; and a drive motor that is disposed at a same section of the vehicle front section or the vehicle rear section as the fuel cell stack, that is separate from the fuel cell stack, and that is elastically supported by the framework member via a vibration isolating member such that a height position of at least one of an upper end, a lower end, or a height direction center of the drive motor is disposed between a height position of an upper end and a height position of a lower end of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Ajisaka
  • Patent number: 11702064
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine and an electric motor as driving power sources, a clutch of a hydraulic type provided between the engine and the electric motor, an electric oil pump that supplies hydraulic pressure to the clutch, a mechanical oil pump that interlocks with a rotation of the electric motor and supplies hydraulic pressure to the clutch, and a controller that controls the electric motor and the electric oil pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Guodong Tan, Atsushi Onomoto
  • Patent number: 11639111
    Abstract: To make a fuel cell stack reliably discharge at the time of vehicle collision, a control system for an electric vehicle is provided with a fuel cell stack generating electric power by an electrochemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidizing gas and supplying generated electric power to an electric motor for driving the vehicle, a first electrical resistor for discharge electrically connected to the fuel cell stack through an electrically controlled type discharge switch, a discharge control circuit controlling an on/off state of the discharge switch, and a collision detector detecting a vehicle collision and outputting a collision signal to the discharge control circuit. When a collision signal is input to the discharge control circuit, it turns the discharge switch on and electrically connects the fuel cell stack to the first electrical resistor for discharge, to thereby discharge the fuel cell stack. A power supply of the discharge control circuit is comprised of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Imanishi, Kouzo Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11524567
    Abstract: A transmission unit for a hybrid motor vehicle, has a planetary gearing. The planetary gearing is fitted with a first planetary wheel set and a second planetary wheel set. The transmission unit also includes an electric machine, which is coupled with a component part of the planetary gearing, and a plurality of switching devices, each of which forming a brake or a clutch, and each being movable between an activated position and a deactivated position. The switching devices are operatively installed for switching various transmission ratios between an input, which can be coupled with an internal combustion engine, and an output, and/or between the electric machine and the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Laurent Bayoux, Matthieu Rihn
  • Patent number: 11437670
    Abstract: n a battery module, having a module housing in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged in such a way that a flow space is formed between each two adjacent battery cells and/or between a peripheral battery cell and a wall portion, adjacent to the peripheral battery cell, of the module housing, through which space a cooling fluid can flow for convective cooling of the battery cells, the module housing having an admission opening for admitting cooling fluid into the module housing, and a discharge opening, different from the admission opening, for discharging cooling fluid from the module housing, there is provided, in an inflow region between the admission opening and the plurality of battery cells, a flow-directing configuration that subdivides the inflow region at least locally into different flow regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Schmitt, Rana Muhammad Humza, Juliane Nies
  • Patent number: 11376922
    Abstract: A transport climate control system is disclosed. The transport climate control system includes a self-configuring matrix power converter having a charging mode, an inverter circuit, a controller, a first DC energy storage and a second DC energy storage, and a compressor. The first DC energy storage and the second DC energy storage have different voltage levels. During the charging mode, the inverter circuit is configured to convert a first AC voltage from an energy source to a first DC voltage, the controller is configured to control the self-configuring matrix power converter to convert the first DC voltage to a first output DC voltage to charge the first DC energy storage, and/or to a second output DC voltage to charge the second DC energy storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventor: Ryan Wayne Schumacher
  • Patent number: 11382236
    Abstract: A controller includes: a casing having a rectangular solid shape and including a front panel including an intake port, a rear panel including a discharge port and opposed to the front panel, and a heat transfer wall including an opening portion and perpendicular to the front panel and the rear panel; a fan inside the casing that sucks outside air into the casing through the intake port and supply the air to the inside of the casing; a regenerative resistor inside the casing at a position where the regenerative resistor is exposed to the outside through the opening portion of the heat transfer wall, the regenerative resistor being insertable and detachable through the opening portion; electronic parts inside the casing and including a servo amplifier which makes the regenerative resistor consume electric power; and a lid body detachably attached to the heat transfer wall to seal the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Tagashira
  • Patent number: 11358480
    Abstract: A vehicle having a fuel cell includes a cell stack including a plurality of unit cells stacked on one another, a direct current/direct current (DC/DC) converter configured to convert the level of stack voltage output from the cell stack and including a discharger to remove residual energy thereof, a power distributor configured to distribute the level-converted voltage output from the DC/DC converter or to provide voltage remaining in the cell stack to the discharger to discharge the voltage in response to first control signals, and a controller configured to generate the first control signals depending on whether the vehicle is traveling normally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Ju Han Kim
  • Patent number: 11345249
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus for multi-voltage charging is provided. The power conversion apparatus includes a housing, a motor connecting terminal disposed at one side of the housing, a relay having a first end electrically connected to the motor connecting terminal, and a capacitor having a first terminal electrically connected to a second end of the relay, and second and third terminals respectively connected to positive and negative terminals of an external battery, wherein the motor connecting terminal, the relay, and the first, second and third terminals are disposed within the housing along an outer edge of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ki Jong Lee, Sang Cheol Shin, Young Seul Lim, Ji Woong Jang, Yoo Jong Lee, Jun Hwan Kim, Seong Min Lee
  • Patent number: 11332212
    Abstract: A saddle-type electric vehicle (1, 1A, or 1B) includes an electric motor (30) for vehicle traveling, a battery (100) which supplies electric power to the electric motor (30), a power control unit (320) which controls the electric motor (30), step floors (9) on which a rider places his/her feet, a center tunnel (CT) which extends in a vehicle front-rear direction at a left-right center portion of the step floors (9), and a charger (325) mounted on the vehicle body and configured to charge the battery (100), in which the power control unit (320) is disposed inside the center tunnel (CT), and the charger (325) is disposed to overlap the power control unit (320) in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Ichikawa, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Jun Ishikawa, Kazuo Tsuji, Katsuyuki Okubo, Yoshitaka Kobayashi, Akira Kuramochi, Toshifumi Shimamura
  • Patent number: 11335927
    Abstract: A fuel cell module is mounted in a fuel cell vehicle. In the fuel cell module, an auxiliary device case is provided on a side part of the fuel cell stack. A hydrogen system auxiliary device for supplying and circulating a hydrogen gas and an oxidizing agent system auxiliary device for supplying and discharging an oxygen-containing gas are placed in the auxiliary device case. A humidifier of the oxidizing agent system auxiliary device includes a fuel gas system protection mechanism. When a load is applied from the front side of the fuel cell vehicle, the fuel gas system protection mechanism prevents interference of the humidifier with the hydrogen system auxiliary device and prevents breakage of the hydrogen system auxiliary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 11312220
    Abstract: There are provided a floor panel, a pair of right-and-left floor frames, and a battery unit supporting a battery module and mounted at the floor frames. The battery unit comprises the battery module, a pair of right-and-left side frames mounted at the pair of floor frames, and a pair of front-and-rear module supporting mechanisms which comprises a pair of front-and-rear cross frames respectively extending in a vehicle width direction and interconnecting the pair of side frames and mounting brackets supporting a front end portion and a rear end portion of the battery module. Bending rigidity, in a vertical direction, of the module supporting mechanism comprising the third cross frame and the first mounting bracket is set to be lower than that of the side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Morihide Yamada, Kazuhisa Hatano, Hisashi Akune, Munenari Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11286907
    Abstract: A wind turbine mountable to a motor vehicle preferably includes a wind blade, a turbine housing, an electrical generator and an electrical power converter. The wind blade preferably includes a plurality of blade elements, a top plate, a bottom plate and a support shaft. The turbine housing includes a turbine base plate, a turbine top plate and a peripheral side wall. A top shaft rotary bearing is retained in the turbine top plate. The electrical generator includes a generator rotor and a generator stator. The generator rotor is retained in the base plate. The bottom shaft thrust bearing is retained in the turbine base plate. The generator stator is mounted to the turbine base plate. The electrical leads of the generator stator are connected to an input of the electrical power converter. The electrical power converter converts the 120 volt AC signal to a suitable DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: Dennis C. Rebek
  • Patent number: 11283381
    Abstract: A working machine includes: a first generator having: a rotor to be rotated by power from a PTO shaft; a rotor coil provided to the rotor; and a stator coil to generate electricity when magnetizing current is applied to the rotor coil; a working device to be operated by the electricity generated by the first generator; and a converter device to convert surplus electricity not consumed by the working device into the magnetizing current to be applied to the rotor coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaru Kawane, Sumio Yagyu, Takao Nakagawa, Yukifumi Yamanaka, Go Takaki
  • Patent number: 11186158
    Abstract: A battery unit comprises side frames, cross frames, and plural battery modules having substantially the same size comprising a longitudinal dimension, a lateral dimension, and a height dimension. The battery modules are respectively mounted at the cross frames in the same position and arranged in plural rows adjacently to a vehicle width direction such that a direction of the above-described longitudinal dimension is substantially parallel to a vehicle longitudinal direction, and mounting rigidity of the battery modules stored in a first storage area is set to be different from that of the battery modules stored in second and third storage areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Morihide Yamada, Kazuhisa Hatano, Hisashi Akune, Munenari Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11097636
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell, an oxygen-containing gas supply apparatus, and an ECU. A pump of the oxygen-containing gas supply apparatus is a shaft floating type air pump having a rotatable element. The rotatable element floats from a wall around the rotatable element, as a result of rotation of the rotatable element. The ECU includes a travel permission determination instruction unit. The travel permission determination instruction unit determines whether or not a predetermined condition indicative of a floating state of the rotatable element is satisfied, and if the predetermined condition is satisfied, permits traveling of the fuel cell vehicle, and if the predetermined condition is not satisfied, restricts traveling of the fuel cell vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoji Sakai, Akihiro Matsui, Naoki Imai, Tatsuya Sugawara
  • Patent number: 11072249
    Abstract: A fuel gas pump of a fuel cell vehicle is fixed to a stack frame and a fuel cell stack via a first bracket and a second bracket so that a rotation axis of a motor is inclined to a reference line along a front-rear direction. The first bracket is fixed by passing a second fastening member through a first notch. The second bracket is fixed by passing a third fastening member through a second notch of a second arm. The first and second brackets are provided such that, when the fuel gas pump rotates, the third fastening member comes off from the second bracket at a timing different from a timing when the second fastening member comes off from the first bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuji Aishima, Yoshihiro Kubota
  • Patent number: 11070084
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle including an undercover and a power receiving apparatus. The undercover is provided on the bottom surface of the vehicle. The undercover includes at least one air-flow regulating panel that regulates air flow flowing on the bottom surface side in the vehicle. The air-flow regulating panel is made of a metallic material having a lower electric resistance than that of iron. The power receiving apparatus is provided on the lower surface of the air-flow regulating panel. The power receiving apparatus is configured to wirelessly receive electric power from a power transmitting apparatus disposed outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 11054009
    Abstract: An electric drive axle for a motor vehicle including an axle housing, an electric motor having an output shaft directly driven by a bevel pinion gear coupled thereto, a fixed ratio planetary gear arrangement, a differential unit including a differential gear arrangement housed within a differential case and a first clutch selectively operable to connect a portion of the planetary gear set to a stationary member of the drive axle so that the drive axle operates in a first gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventor: James F. Ziech
  • Patent number: 11034228
    Abstract: A vehicle power unit room structure is provided including a motor that is disposed inside a power unit room and that is configured to transmit drive force to a drive wheel, a compressor that is disposed adjacent to the motor in a vehicle width direction so as to overlap with the motor as viewed along the vehicle width direction, and a power supply section that is configured to supply power supplied from a power source to the motor and the compressor, and that is disposed at a vehicle upper side of the compressor so as to overlap with the compressor as viewed along a vehicle vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Murai
  • Patent number: 10953755
    Abstract: The fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell stack; a cell monitor configured to detect voltage or current of the fuel cell stack; wire harness configured to connect the fuel cell stack and the cell monitor to each other; a power conversion unit configured to include a switching element and to perform conversion of output power of the fuel cell stack or conversion of supplied power to auxiliary machines used for operation of the fuel cell stack by using the switching element; and a bulkhead part that is made of metal and is configured to partition the wire harness and the power conversion unit from each other, the bulkhead part being grounded, wherein the wire harness and the power conversion unit are placed next to each other with the bulkhead part interposed therebetween. Thus, it becomes implementable to downsize the fuel cell unit while satisfying both the prevention of physical contact between the wire harness and the power conversion unit and the suppression of influences of switching noise on analog data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Imanishi
  • Patent number: 10940847
    Abstract: A brake control device adjusts a front wheel braking hydraulic pressure of front wheel cylinders provided on front wheels of a vehicle and a rear wheel braking hydraulic pressure of rear wheel cylinders provided on rear wheels of the vehicle. The brake control device includes a hydraulic pressure generating unit configured to adjust a hydraulic pressure generated by an electric motor to an adjusted hydraulic pressure and apply the adjusted hydraulic pressure as the rear wheel braking hydraulic pressure and a hydraulic pressure correcting unit configured to adjust to decrease the adjusted hydraulic pressure to be a corrected hydraulic pressure, and apply the corrected hydraulic pressure as the front wheel braking hydraulic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignees: ADVICS CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osayoshi Kato, Yoshio Masuda, Hiroyuki Kodama, Takayuki Yamamoto, Yasuji Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10931165
    Abstract: A vehicle having wheels for riding the vehicle over a carrier such as a road or rails, said vehicle having a battery and a generator connected thereto, said generator having a stator and a rotor being arranged to generate electrical power for charging said battery, wherein said wheel drives said rotor by means of a shaft connected to the centre of said wheel and axially extending therefrom, wherein the connection between said rotor and said shaft comprises a gear box for regulating the rotation speed of said rotor relative to the rotation speed of said wheel, characterized in that said gear box comprises a planetary gear train of the type having a sun gear, planet gears and an annular gear, and that said shaft, said sun gear and said rotor extend around a common axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rudolf Johannes Van Wijk
  • Patent number: 10889284
    Abstract: An electric vehicle allows a user to experience changes in acceleration g-force, as with a conventional power plant, including: a transmission that sets a gearshift position based on a gearshift position command value to be supplied, and reduces a rotation speed of a motor with the gear ratio based on the gearshift position to rotationally drive wheels; a user operation unit that outputs the gearshift position command value and a speed control amount, based on user operation; and a controller that sets a DC voltage command value or an AC voltage command value to an operation-based value corresponding to the gearshift position and the speed control amount, and, on the condition that operation on the user operation unit satisfies a predetermined condition, sets the DC voltage command value or the AC voltage command value to a value higher than the operation-based value for causing a change in acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Fumiya Nishii
  • Patent number: 10875594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electric bicycles, and in particular, to an anti-theft battery box structure for an electric bicycle. An external structural shape of the anti-theft battery box structure matches a shape of a top tube of a frame, so that the anti-theft battery box structure and the top tube form a whole to keep the complete appearance of a bicycle. A controller is disposed at a lower end on a rear side of the top tube, and a control box presents an inverted triangle, so that the frame has a more stable structure. In addition, a bolt of a battery lock can enter a lock hole of a battery box, to achieve an anti-theft effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: FOSHAN ZENITH SPORTS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kunhua Zhou, Yu Zhou
  • Patent number: 10792992
    Abstract: A configurable, modular vehicle on common chassis platform, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a configurable modular vehicle includes: a chassis, a power plant module configured to generate electrical energy, and a drive train module. The drive train module includes: at least one traction motor configured to receive electrical energy from the power plant module, a transmission configured to transfer torque from the traction motor to a drive axle, and the drive axle configured to transfer torque to drive wheels, and a control system module configured to control components of the power plant module and the drive train module. The interfaces of the power plant module and the drive train module are predefined, and different types of the power plant modules and the drive train modules are interchangeable within their respective predefined interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: PACCAR INC
    Inventors: Stanley W. DeLizo, Gerald Jay Angelo, Theodore Joseph Scherzinger, Brian J. Lindgren
  • Patent number: 10773602
    Abstract: This disclosure details electrified vehicles that are equipped with removable generators for increasing the electric range of the vehicles. An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a cargo space, such as a truck bed, and a generator removably positioned within the cargo space. The generator is adapted to selectively supply power for either charging a battery pack of the electrified vehicle or for propelling one or more vehicle drive wheels. In some embodiments, the generator is shaped like, and therefore disguised as, a toolbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ari Caliskan, John Jaranson, Peter A. Friedman, Arnold Kadiu
  • Patent number: 10767760
    Abstract: A power transmission system include a transfer case including an input shaft, an output shaft, a planetary gear device including a first rotary element, a second rotary element, and a third rotary element, and a HIGH-LOW switching mechanism including a switching sleeve configured to selectively couple the output shaft to the first rotary element and the second rotary element, an electric motor coupled to one of the first rotary element and the second rotary element, and an electronic control unit configured to control the rotational speed of the electric motor, during switching operation of the HIGH-LOW switching mechanism while a vehicle is stopped, such that the rotational speed of the input shaft becomes substantially equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Ando
  • Patent number: 10760662
    Abstract: A power-driven system includes: a differential; a power output shaft configured to link to a power input end of the differential; multiple input shafts; and a first motor generator. The differential includes a first planet carrier, a second planet carrier, a first planet gear, a second planet gear, a first ring gear, and a second ring gear. The first planet gear and the second planet gear are respectively disposed on the first planet carrier and the second planet carrier and respectively meshed with the first ring gear and the second ring gear. One input shaft of the multiple input shafts is configured to selectively link to the power output shaft, and another input shaft of the multiple input shafts is configured to link to the power output shaft. The first motor generator is configured to link to the one input shaft of the multiple input shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Yubo Lian, Heping Ling, Zhen Zhai, Feng Zheng, Youbin Xu
  • Patent number: 10730379
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell vehicle, including a high voltage system disposed in a front compartment of the vehicle, and a first protruding portion that protrudes in a left-right direction of the vehicle toward a vehicle body of the vehicle further than a portion of the high voltage system that is closest to the vehicle body, and is fixed to the high voltage system, in which, when the vehicle is placed on a horizontal plane, the first protruding portion is arranged such that a position of a first most-protruded portion of the first protruding portion that protrudes most toward the vehicle body in a height direction is located at the same position or higher than a center of gravity of the high voltage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoki Tambo, Hirofumi Kanazawa, Tadashi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10703187
    Abstract: An apparatus for storing electric energy for a motor vehicle includes a plurality of energy storage modules and a main body which can be fastened to the motor vehicle. Each energy storage module includes energy storage for storing the electric energy and a carrier, in which the energy storage is arranged. The carrier is fastened in an individually detachable manner to the main body in the state in which it is fastened to the motor vehicle, with the result that a first one of the energy storage modules can be removed from the apparatus without it being necessary for the carrier of a second one of the energy storage modules to be detached from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Enerji Cavus, Philipp Trautmann, Alexander Klausmann, Mihail Sarb, Calin Baicu, Philipp Schweizer, Marcus Zacher
  • Patent number: 10680257
    Abstract: The present invention is to prevent the temperature of an electric heater from being higher than or equal to a temperature at which control to reduce power consumption is started to prevent an abrupt decrease in the power consumption of the electric heater in order to secure a power consuming destination of a fuel cell. A fuel cell system 10 includes: a fuel cell 20 that receives the supply of reactant gas to generate power; a fuel cell cooling system 30 for circulating a coolant through the fuel cell 20 to cool the fuel cell 20; an electric heater 40 operated to consume power of the fuel cell 20 and driven to decrease power consumption abruptly at a temperature lower than a decomposition temperature of the coolant; and a heater cooling system 50 for circulating the coolant around the electric heater 40 to cool the electric heater 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamada, Hiroyuki Imanishi, Mitsuhiro Nada
  • Patent number: 10651740
    Abstract: An electric drive system for a vehicle may include positive and negative bus rails carrying a direct current (DC) bus voltage, an energy storage system (ESS), a power inverter having a plurality of semiconductor switches operable for inverting the DC bus voltage into an alternating current (AC) bus voltage, and an electric machine. A DC-DC converter may be connected to the bus rails between the capacitor and the power inverter and may include a converter semiconductor switch disposed in the positive bus rail, an inductor coil connected to the positive bus rail and receiving current flowing through the converter semiconductor switch, at least one diode, and a bypass switch connected to the positive bus rail and configured to allow current to bypass the converter. The DC-DC converter may be configured to output a DC bus voltage to the power inverter with a same polarity as the battery polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mingyuan Zhang, Chengwu Duan, Lei Hao, Jian Yao
  • Patent number: 10618560
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a first high-voltage unit and a second high-voltage unit in a front compartment. The first high-voltage unit includes a first case including a body portion, and a projecting portion that projects from an outer surface of the body portion, and is located between a pair of suspension towers, and between a dashboard panel and a front bumper. The second high-voltage unit is placed in space between one of the suspension towers and the dashboard panel. The projecting portion projects toward the one suspension tower, and at least a part of the projecting portion is located on the front side in the traveling direction, relative to a straight line connecting center axes of the suspension towers, as viewed from the top of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sekine
  • Patent number: 10608262
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell module configured to include a fuel cell stack, a tank configured to store a gas that is supplied to the fuel cell stack, a fuel cell placement chamber configured to place the fuel cell module therein and a tank placement chamber formed on a rear side of the fuel cell placement chamber in a vehicle longitudinal direction of the fuel cell vehicle under a floor of the fuel cell vehicle and configured to place the tank therein. The fuel cell module is placed vertically above the tank such as not to overlap with the tank when being viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nishiumi, Tatsuya Tokumasu
  • Patent number: 10588254
    Abstract: The invention refers to an agricultural system and a method of operating the system. An implement is connected to a tractor. A tractor control network (4) and an implement control network (5) are connected through a data bus (6). Control signals are transmitted over a signal line of the data bus (6). A driving power supply is provided by a tractor power supply (13) to a working unit (10b) of the implement through a driving power supply line, the tractor power supply (13) configured to provide a plurality of different driving voltages. Driving power supply control signals are received in the tractor control network (4), the driving power supply control signals being sent from the implement control network (5) over the signal line and indicating a present driving voltage. The present driving voltage is supplied over the driving power supply line to the working unit (10b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Kverneland Group Mechatronics B.V.
    Inventors: Martijn Van Der Bijl, Peter Van Der Vlugt
  • Patent number: 10576829
    Abstract: A method for controlling a recuperation device that converts kinetic energy into electric energy in a vehicle is provided. The method includes the acts of actuating at least one actuation element for generating a braking action, at least briefly arranging the actuated actuation element in at least one predefined first trigger position, and activating the recuperation device in a defined functional scope in response to the brief arrangement of the actuated actuation element in the at least one predefined first trigger position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Platz, Christian Ebner, Markus Hamm
  • Patent number: 10525840
    Abstract: A bracket has deformation resistant strength set to be overwhelmed by an input load applied to the bracket from a rearward side toward a forward side when a fuel cell vehicle collides with an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Takeyama
  • Patent number: 10486516
    Abstract: A battery mounting structure for a vehicle, the battery mounting structure includes: a plurality of vehicle body frame members that is arrayed in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle and is part of a lower frame of a vehicle body; and a plurality of cell stacks that each include a plurality of single cells. Each of the cell stacks is configured to be restrained onto the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10486543
    Abstract: Provided is a voltage control device of a fuel-cell vehicle capable of securing good acceleration responsiveness while suppressing battery deterioration even when a vehicle acceleration request is made in the situation where the output from a battery is restricted. When determining that electric power suppliable from a secondary battery to an air compressor is less than a lower limit of an acceleration maintaining-electric power of the air compressor, a voltage control device of a fuel-cell vehicle maintains a state where electric power generated by a fuel cell is consumed by an electric power drive, and supplies the electric power consumed by the electric power drive to the air compressor when a vehicle acceleration request is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Matsuo, Akihiro Kamiya, Tomoya Ogawa, Shinji Aso, Tatsuya Fukami, Takao Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10449873
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus for an in-vehicle device includes a cooler, a traffic congestion determining unit, a cooling amount calculator, and a cooler controller. The cooling amount calculator calculates first and second cooling amounts respectively based on a heat-generation amount of a heat-generating device and a noise level inside a vehicle. The cooler controller controls the cooler on the basis of a set cooling amount. The cooler controller controls the cooler to cool the heat-generating device on the basis of the set cooling amount larger than the first cooling amount and equal to or smaller than the second cooling amount and limits a decrease rate of the set cooling amount to be smaller than an increase rate of the set cooling amount, on a condition that the traveling road is determined by the traffic congestion determining unit as being congested and the first cooling amount is smaller than the second cooling amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Moriya, Yuichi Tanaka, Hiroshi Ienaga
  • Patent number: 10427543
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus including a motor 1, a transmission 5 disposed adjacent to the motor 1 or in the vicinity of the motor 1, an oil temperature sensor 5 that detects temperature of lubricating oil of the transmission 5, a cooling mechanism that cools a motor with a refrigerant, a refrigerant sensor that detects temperature of the refrigerant, and a controller that controls torque of the motor 1. Further, the controller selects either the lubricating oil temperature detected by the oil temperature sensor 5 or the refrigerant temperature detected by the refrigerant sensor as detected temperature and applies limitation to torque based on the detected temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hatsuki Morinaga, Yutaka Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10414351
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle has both left-hand drive specifications and right-hand drive specifications. A first converter is placed at a same position whichever of the left-hand drive specifications or the right-hand drive specifications are applied. A second converter is placed on a selected one of the left-hand side and the right-hand side of the center line of the fuel cell vehicle for the left-hand drive specifications, while, for the right-hand drive specifications, placed on the other side of the center line of the fuel cell vehicle opposite to the selected one side for the left-hand drive specifications. A first wire harness to be used as the wire harness for the left-hand drive specifications and a second wire harness to be used as the wire harness for the right-hand drive specifications are equal in length to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Katano
  • Patent number: 10399623
    Abstract: A bike having an energy recovery device includes a driving wheel that is coupled to a rear wheel driving shaft pulley of the bike and rotates with the rear wheel of the bike. When a wire is pulled by the bike rider, an outer peripheral surface of a rotating wheel contacts an outer peripheral surface of the driving wheel and rotates together by means of friction with the driving wheel. When the wire pulling force is released, contact with the driving wheel is released. A piston moves in the forward/backward direction inside a cylinder of a compressor. During operation, air is compressed by the movement of the piston, exits through an exhaust opening formed on the rear portion of the cylinder, and is stored in an air tank through an air hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Inventor: Tae Soon Yeo
  • Patent number: 10369897
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to send likelihood-of-success request, including vehicle state information. The processor is further configured to receive information representing likelihood of reaching route points, utilizing a current vehicle charge, along with effects on the likelihood based on one or more power utilization changes. The processor is also configured to interactively display the received information and receive power utilization change selection. Also, the processor is configured to calculate a new likelihood of reaching the points based on the selection and display updated information based on the calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yimin Liu, Perry Robinson MacNeille, Michael Edward Loftus
  • Patent number: 10358049
    Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel cell vehicle includes: calculating total system power for the fuel cell vehicle; calculating power accumulation device target power; calculating fuel cell target power, the power accumulation device target power and the fuel cell target power satisfying the total system power; controlling a first converter to regulate power of a power accumulation device based on the power accumulation device target power, the first converter being provided between the power accumulation device and a motor driver, the motor driver being to drive a motor to generate travelling power; and controlling a second converter to regulate power generated by the fuel cell based on the fuel cell target power, the second converter being provided between the fuel cell and the motor driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuichi Kazuno, Hibiki Saeki
  • Patent number: 10336315
    Abstract: A controller and a control strategy minimizes shift shock in a hybrid electric vehicle during a downshift conducted while the vehicle is in a regenerative braking mode by maintaining total powertrain torque at a desired target during the downshift. The controller has three preferable modes including modulating just engine torque, modulating just electric motor torque or simultaneously modulating both motor and engine torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Barney D Nefcy, Francis Thomas Connolly, Dan Colvin, Walt Joseph Ortmann, Marvin Paul Kraska, Dale Scott Crombez, Mark Steven Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10336208
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for regulating the state of charge of a battery. An exemplary electrical system includes a fuel cell coupled to a bus and a battery coupled to the bus via a switching arrangement coupled to a capacitor. An exemplary method for operating the electrical system involves operating the switching arrangement such that a voltage of the battery is substantially equal to a voltage of the fuel cell when a state of charge of the battery is greater than a lower threshold value and less than an upper threshold value, and operating the switching arrangement to couple the capacitor electrically in series between the battery and the bus when the state of charge of the battery is not between the lower threshold value and the upper threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sebastian Lienkamp, Peter Kilian, Stephen Raiser
  • Patent number: 10266199
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric vehicle, comprising a chassis (1), a vehicle body and a power battery (71), wherein the chassis (1) comprises a frame system (2), a steering motor damping system (13) mounted on the frame system (2), a wheel system (12) connected to the steering motor damping system (13), a steering system (3) mounted on the frame system (2), and a braking system (4) mounted on the frame system (2); and the wheel system (12) comprises a left front wheel (121) using a hub motor, a left rear wheel (123) using a hub motor, a right front wheel (122) using a hub motor, and a right rear wheel (124) using a hub motor. Driving the wheels (121, 122, 123, 124) with the hub motors can omit a traditional mechanical transmission system, so as to simplify the structure of the chassis (1) and reduce the weight of the chassis (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: GUANGDONG HUA'CHAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shugang Gong, Xingyin Wu, Lei Peng, Chaoping Feng, Zhihua Wang