Hybrid drive device
US6661108B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 20, 2001 |
| Grant date | Dec 9, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 20, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S903/907
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In a hybrid drive device which drives an electrical motor with electrical power from a storage device and/or from a generator driven by an engine, a secondary battery is generally used as the storage device. However, the storage device must be replaced at fixed intervals due to a short battery life. In addition, the low charging/discharging efficiency of a secondary battery limits improvements in fuel economy of the drive device. The present invention avoids these shortcomings by providing a storage device that includes a condenser bank with a plurality of condenser cells connected in series, parallel monitors which are connected in parallel to each condenser cell and which bypasses the charging current when the respective terminal voltages exceed a fixed value, and a switching converter with fixed current output characteristics which controls the charging electrical power to the condenser bank. This arrangement allows the present invention to realize improvements in fuel economy and reductions in the running costs of a hybrid drive device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.