Method and apparatus for supplying driving energy to vehicle sub

Details Method and apparatus for supplying driving energy to vehicle sub Method and apparatus for supplying driving energy to vehicle sub

1995-06-14

1998-08-18

Culbreth, Eric D.

Motor vehicles

With fluid or mechanical means to accumulate energy to power...

60418, 180 538, B60K 2500

Patent

active

057947341

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for driving subassemblies in a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle.
Today, vehicles, particularly motor vehicles having an internal combustion engine as the drive, are equipped with a plurality of energy-consuming components, hereinafter referred to broadly as sub-assemblies, for example central locking, power steering, air conditioning, electric window openers, seat heating and the like, which facilitate vehicle operation and increase vehicle safety and comfort. These components are supplied with energy by motor-driven subassemblies, such as a generator, air conditioner compressor, power-steering pump, vacuum pump, etc.
Since, due to high traffic density, motor vehicles are predominantly moved in operation corresponding to city traffic, which is characterized by stopped phases and operating phases, with frequently changing and, to some extent, low speeds, the energy consumption for operation of the subassemblies is noticeable with respect to overall efficiency. For the sake of comfort and safety, it is necessary for a number of assemblies, such as air conditioning and power steering, to be constantly functional. In low useful loads of the vehicle engine, this leads to high energy requirements and prevents the vehicle engine from being able to be shut off during idling phases, or in driving mode, because the energy supply of the subassemblies is effected by the vehicle engine.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an arrangement for making available at least a portion of the energy necessary for operating the subassemblies by means of recovering the braking energy.
In accordance with the method of the invention, this object is accomplished in such a way that a hydraulic accumulator is charged, by means of a hydraulic machine that is connected to the vehicle engine by way of a switchable clutch and can be operated as a pump, by a hydraulic fluid that can be conveyed in a loop, that the energy requirement for driving the subassemblies is covered directly by the pressure fluid from the hydraulic accumulator and/or the hydraulic machine, and that the clutch is actuated as a function of the charged state of the hydraulic accumulator and/or of the energy requirement of the subassemblies, and/or by way of the brake pedal. In the sense of the invention, hydraulic accumulator is to be understood as, for example, a gas-bubble accumulator having a gas bubble that is under pressure prestress and is disposed in a reservoir container which can be filled with a fluid counter to the pressure of the gas bubble and under its compression.
This method has the advantage that the subassemblies can be driven independently of the vehicle engine when the hydraulic accumulator is charged and the clutch is open, so that in this case only the energy necessary for the respective drive for motion is taken from the vehicle engine without the function of the subassemblies being impaired; it is also possible to shut off the vehicle engine without having to interrupt the operation of the subassemblies. This is significant when, for example, the air conditioner is to continue operating after the vehicle engine has been shut off. The arrangement of the switchable clutch permits charging of the hydraulic accumulator directly by the vehicle engine, independently of the respective operating state, through closing of the clutch and operation of the hydraulic machine as a pump, so that the readiness of the vehicle for operation, including that of the subassemblies necessary for operation, is not disturbed at any time. This can be effected such that the hydraulic accumulator is charged by a partial flow of the fluid and the subassemblies are simultaneously driven by a partial flow of the fluid. When the hydraulic accumulator is charged, the subassemblies can again be operated for a long period of time, independently of the vehicle engine. Whether the hydraulic accumulator is empty or full, direct drive of the sub

REFERENCES:
patent: 3700060 (1972-10-01), Keene et al.
patent: 4534169 (1985-08-01), Hunt
patent: 4674280 (1987-06-01), Stur

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