Motor vehicles – Power – Electric
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-05
2003-03-25
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Motor vehicles
Power
Electric
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536547
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a motor vehicle having alternate power sources including a direct current voltage storage device and a combustible fuel storage device and more particularly relates to a hybrid electric vehicle having separate storage devices for a combustible fuel produced by a fuel converter from a composition combustible fuel and for direct current voltage and wherein a control device that is operatively connected to a direct current motor and to a combustible material or combustible fuel engine, selectively applies at least one of a first control signal to the direct current motor and a second control signal to a combustible material motor or combustible fuel engine to enable a driving system driving the hybrid electric vehicle to be powered or driven by at least one of the direct current voltage and the combustible material or combustible fuel generated from a composition combustible fuel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hybrid electric vehicles powered by direct current motors using batteries as energy devices and internal combustion engines powered by gasoline are well known in the prior art. Examples of electric vehicles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,343,970 and 4,099,589. U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,970 discloses a hybrid electric vehicle and U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,589 discloses an electric car, each of which have a gasoline powered internal combustion gasoline engine and an electric motor which is powered by direct current stored in batteries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,691 discloses a hybrid drive system for outputting the power of an internal combustion engine and the power of a motor generator through a transmission to drive the vehicle.
Numerous methods have been proposed to manage the stored electrical power in hybrid vehicle to improve both operating performance and driving range. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,172 discloses an operating strategy for a hybrid electric vehicle that manages the flow of energy to both supply the motive demand power of the hybrid electric vehicle and to maintain the charge of the energy storage system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,980 discloses an electric car drive system having a car drive motor powered by a mounted direct current power supply and a control system including a signal generating means to generate signals which control motor speed. The direct current power supply is composed of a power battery having secondary cells connected to the motor and an energy battery formed by fuel cells connected in parallel to the power battery via an energy battery control switch. The electric vehicle includes a charge control means to keep the charge on the power battery using the energy batteries if the charge of the power battery is below a specified value.
Motor vehicles having alternate source of power other than batteries for powering a motor vehicle are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,251 discloses a system for generating hydrogen and oxygen using water in a tank having a solid polyelectric film which separates the tank into operating sections and uses electrodes for generating hydrogen. The power generating system is a separate power source and generates a second combustible fuel which is mixed together, with gasoline as a first composition combustible fuel to power a motor vehicle using an internal combustion engine.
Motor vehicles have also used propane gas stored in a pressurized tank and as an alternative to gasoline as alternate sources of fuel to power an internal combustion engine for driving the vehicle.
In hybrid electric vehicles and in electric cars, the batteries function as a direct current voltage storage device. The batteries are typically charged prior to use using an alternating current and known battery charging systems using alternating current-to-direct current converters. Internal combustion engines may be used to drive battery-charging circuits and/or direct current voltage generators as means for maintaining a charge on the batteries during operation of the vehicle. Fuel cells, forming part of an energy battery, are connected in parallel to the power battery via an energy battery control switch. Fuel cells have been used for maintaining a charge on the power battery.
Due to the absence of standard methods and apparatus for charging batteries in hybrid electric vehicles and electric cars, different manufacturers of electric vehicles use different charging circuits thereby requiring the user to locate and use a charging system designed for the vehicle. This results in an inconvenience to the user, one of many objections and reasons inhibiting use of electric vehicles.
Another problem associated with prior art electric vehicles is the inefficient use of fuel cells that convert hydrogen into electricity for charging the batteries.
Further, there is not a standard method, apparatus or system available for offering alternative standardized electrical energies or combustible fuels for charging or servicing a hybrid electric vehicle or electric car which are equivalent to services offered in service stations for standard gas or diesel powered motor cars using internal combustion engines.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention discloses and teaches a new, novel and unique hybrid electric vehicle having alternate power sources for powering or driving a hybrid electric vehicle. This invention enables the hybrid electric vehicle to be serviced using a standard alternating current source, a standard direct current source and/or a standard combustible fuel source.
The hybrid electric vehicle of the present invention includes an alternating current to direct current converter for producing and storing a direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device. A fuel converter that receives a composition fuel in a first state converts the fuel into a combustible material or combustible fuel in a second state and the combustible material or combustible fuel in said second state is stored in a combustible material or combustible fuel storage device. A driving system that transports the hybrid electric vehicle includes a direct current motor, which is operatively coupled to the driving system and to the direct current voltage storage device. The direct current motor is responsive to the stored direct current voltage for driving the driving system in response to a first control signal. A combustible material motor or combustible fuel engine is operatively coupled to the driving system and is responsive to the stored combustible material or combustible fuel in the second state for driving the driving system in response to a second control signal. A control device is operatively connected to the direct current motor and to the combustible material or combustible fuel engine.to selectively apply at least one of the first control signal to the direct current motor and the second control signal to the combustible material or combustible fuel engine to enable the driving system to be driven by at least one of the direct current voltage and the combustible material or combustible fuel.
In addition, a new and novel method of driving or powering a motor vehicle with alternate fuel sources is disclosed and taught by the present invention. The method comprises the steps of producing with an alternating current to direct current converter a direct current voltage; storing the direct current voltage in a direct current voltage storage device; receiving with a fuel converter a fuel in a first state and converting the fuel into a combustible material in a second state; storing the combustible material in the second state in a combustible material storage device; transporting with a driving system the motor vehicle wherein the driving system includes a direct current motor operatively coupled to the direct current voltage storage device and the direct current motor is responsive to stored direct current voltage for driving the driving system in response to a first control signal and a combustible material motor operatively coupled to the driving system is
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