Fuel cell vehicle with power modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10442297-B2
Application number	US-201815938610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	May 24, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle includes a drivetrain and multiple power modules. The drivetrain includes at least one wheel. Each power module includes an energy system, and a propulsion system to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected. The energy system is operable to generate electrical energy using fuel. The propulsion system is electrically connected to the energy system, and operable to contributorily power the at least one wheel using electrical energy from the energy system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a drivetrain, the drivetrain including at least one wheel;
multiple power modules, each power module including:
an energy system, the energy system operable to generate electrical energy using fuel; and
a propulsion system to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected, the propulsion system electrically connected to the energy system, and operable to contributorily power the at least one wheel using electrical energy from the energy system; and

an auxiliary element assigned to each power module, wherein at each power module, the assigned auxiliary element is electrically connected to the energy system, and operable to satisfy an auxiliary demand global to the vehicle using electrical energy from the energy system.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the respective propulsion systems of the power modules support a common output coupling to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each power module includes a fuel tank and a fuel cell stack per energy system, and in each power module, the fuel tank is operable to store fuel, and the fuel cell stack is fluidly connected to the fuel tank, and operable to generate electrical energy using fuel from the fuel tank.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each power module includes a motor to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected per propulsion system, and in each power module, the motor is operable to contributorily power the at least one wheel using electrical energy from the energy system.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each power module includes a battery per energy system, and at each power module, the assigned auxiliary element is electrically connected to the battery, and operable to satisfy the auxiliary demand global to the vehicle using electrical energy from the battery.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising:
a connecting/switching unit, the connecting/switching unit electrically connected across the power modules, and operable to switch electrical loads from the respective auxiliary elements assigned to the power modules between the respective batteries of the power modules on a cycled basis.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a chassis, the chassis supporting the drivetrain, and including a hitch.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power control module per power module, each power control module assigned a power module, communicatively connected to the assigned power module, and configured to operate the energy system and the propulsion system of the assigned power module.

9. A vehicle, comprising:
a drivetrain, the drivetrain including at least one wheel;
multiple power modules, each power module including:
an energy system, the energy system operable to generate electrical energy using fuel; and
a propulsion system to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected, the propulsion system electrically connected to the energy system, and operable to contributorily power the at least one wheel using electrical energy from the energy system; and

a power control module per power module, each power control module assigned a power module, communicatively connected to the assigned power module, and configured to operate the energy system and the propulsion system of the assigned power module.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the respective propulsion systems of the power modules support a common output coupling to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein each power module includes a fuel tank and a fuel cell stack per energy system, in each power module, the fuel tank is operable to store fuel, and the fuel cell stack is fluidly connected to the fuel tank, and operable to generate electrical energy using fuel from the fuel tank, and each power control module is configured to operate the fuel cell stack of the assigned power module.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein each power module includes a motor to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected per propulsion system, in each power module, the motor is operable to contributorily power the at least one wheel using electrical energy from the energy system, and each power control module is configured to operate the motor of the assigned power module.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising:
an auxiliary element assigned to each power module, wherein at each power module, the assigned auxiliary element is electrically connected to the energy system, and operable to satisfy an auxiliary demand global to the vehicle using electrical energy from the energy system.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein each power module includes a battery per energy system, and at each power module, the assigned auxiliary element is electrically connected to the battery, and operable to satisfy the auxiliary demand global to the vehicle using electrical energy from the battery.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising:
a connecting/switching unit, the connecting/switching unit electrically connected across the power modules, and operable to switch electrical loads from the respective auxiliary elements assigned to the power modules between the respective batteries of the power modules on a cycled basis.

16. The vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising:
a chassis, the chassis supporting the drivetrain, and including a hitch.

17. A vehicle, comprising:
a drivetrain, the drivetrain including at least one wheel;
multiple power modules, each power module including:
a fuel tank, the fuel tank operable to store fuel;
a fuel cell stack, the fuel cell stack fluidly connected to the fuel tank, and operable to generate electrical energy using fuel from the fuel tank;
a motor battery, the motor battery electrically connected to the fuel cell stack, and operable to store electrical energy from the fuel cell stack;
a complementary battery, the complementary battery electrically connected to the fuel cell stack, and operable to store electrical energy from the fuel cell stack; and
a motor to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected, the motor electrically connected to the fuel cell stack and the motor battery, and operable to contributorily power the at least one wheel using electrical energy from any combination of the fuel cell stack and the motor battery; and

an auxiliary element assigned to each power module, wherein at each power module, the assigned auxiliary element is electrically connected to the complementary battery, and operable to satisfy an auxiliary demand global to the vehicle using electrical energy from the complementary battery.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein, in each power module, the fuel cell stack is hydrogen-fueled, and the fuel tank is a hydrogen tank.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the respective motors of the power modules support a common output coupling to which the drivetrain is mechanically connected.

20. The vehicle of claim 17 , further comprising:
a connecting/switching unit, the connecting/switching unit electrically connected across the power modules, and operable to selectively share at least one of combined electrical loads from the respective motors of the power modules equally among the respective motor batteries of the power modules, and combined electrical loads from the respective auxiliary elements assigned to the power modules equally among the respective complementary batteries of the power modules.

21. The vehicle of claim 17 , furthe

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Brown Sheldon Z
• Zoia Giorgio L
• Yokoo Takehito
• Hodges Stephen

Classifications

• B60L50/75

  using propulsion power supplied by both fuel cells and batteries · CPC title

• B60L58/30

  for monitoring or controlling fuel cells · CPC title

• B60L2220/42

  with use of more than one motor · CPC title

• B60L50/90

  using propulsion power supplied by specific means not covered by groups B60L50/10 - B60L50/50, e.g. by direct conversion of thermal nuclear energy into electricity · CPC title

• B60L50/40

  using propulsion power supplied by capacitors · CPC title