Patent Application
20070261902
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric motor vehicle including apparatus for generating electric power from the movement of the motor vehicle, and more specifically, to an apparatus for generating electric power by use of an extended brake drum for use as a drive wheel.
2. Prior Art
With the increased concern over the cost and availability of petroleum products, there is increasing interest in the use of vehicles powered by an electric motor. To generate electricity so as to freshen the batteries used to power the electric motor, various devices have been proposed. The benefit from those periods when the vehicle is coasting is discussed in the AL-DOKHI Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,334, a separate set of wheels is lowered to the road surface to generate power. A winch is used to withdrawal the separate set of wheels from the road when use of the generation system is not desired.
The SHULBACK ET. AL. Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,156, teaches a system for driving electric generators from the rotation of an axial of a vehicle. STULBACH ET AT. AL. includes a device to activate the generation system when the vehicle is proceeding downhill.
The GOTTA Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,647, utilizes a dual axial arrangement. Two motors are powered but usually only one motor is in use. The differential in the rear axial is connected to a generator to charge the batteries which are used to supply power to the motor, but the batteries being charged are those batteries which are not in use at the time of charging.
The MEDEN Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 741,587, uses a gear system with a separate motor driving each of two wheels.
None of the prior art uses an extension of a brake drum for use as a drive pulley for activation of a generating system.
The objects of this invention are as follows:
The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity, and will in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form an integral part thereof.
An electric motor vehicle is provided which includes an apparatus for generating electric power from the movement of the motor vehicle. A frame is mounted on four wheels. At least one of the four wheels has a brake drum which extends outside of the vehicle to form a drive pulley. An electric generation unit with a generator pulley is mounted on the frame. The electric generation unit supplies electric power to an electric drive assembly. A drive belt engages both the drive pulley and the generator pulley.
Referring now to
Brake drums 37 are commonly used in motor vehicles to permit braking of the motor vehicle. Depression of a foot pedal (not shown) forces a brake shoe against the brake drum 37 providing friction which slows an ultimately stops the motor vehicle 11. In accordance with the invention, the brake drum 37 which normally is within each of the four wheels 17, and is shown on
Mounted on the frame 15 is an electric generation unit 41. The electric generation unit 41 may be a direct current generator or an alternator with a converter to convert the alternating electric current to direct current. As is well known, direct current 5 is generally utilized in motor vehicles as batteries produce direct current, and direct current motors, particularly series would direct current motors, are known to serve as a source of rotational power in electric vehicles such as trolley cars. The electric generation unit 41 has a generator shaft 43 with a generator pulley 45 on the generator shaft 43. A drive belt 47 connects the drive pulley 39 and the generator pulley 4510 causing the drive pulley 39 and the generator pulley 45 to rotate together.
Referring now to
The accelerator 49, voltage regulator 51, drive motor 53 and the transmission 55 form, in combination, an electric drive assembly 56. The transmission 55 has a transmission shaft 57. As has been previously explained and is shown in greater detail in
A power line 58 extends from the electric generator unit 41 to a battery of a series of batteries 59. A speed sensor 61 is located on the drive shaft 65. The drive motor 53 is within the electric drive assembly 56. When the rotational speed of the drive motor 53 is comparatively high, the drive motor 53 is propelling the motor vehicle 11,0 the speed sensor 61 shuts off a switch 67 in the power line 58. When, however, the rotational speed of the drive motor 53s is low, indicating that the motor vehicle 11 is coasting, the switch 67 is closed to deliver electrical power from the electric generator unit 41 to the batteries 59. If the motor vehicle 11 is coasting to a stop, the electric power supplied by the batteries 59 will be limited but the electric generation unit 41 will aid in slowing and in stopping the motor vehicle 11.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully describe the gist of the present invention in that other than by applying current knowledge, readily and apply it for various applications without considering further features that from the standpoint of prior art and constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
