Energy regeneration device of suspension system for vehicle regenerating rotational kinetic energy generated from wheels into electric energy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9270153-B2
Application number	US-201314135321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

An energy regeneration device of a suspension system for a vehicle, includes a suspension link that connects a wheel carrier to a vehicle body, a bush unit that is disposed between a vehicle body connection portion of the suspension link and the vehicle body and outputs hinge motion of the suspension link through an output gear, a one-way power transmission mechanism that is connected with the output gear of the bush unit, receives the hinge motion transmitted from the output gear through an input gear, and outputs only one-way rotational power, and a generator that is disposed at a side of the vehicle body and generates electricity while being rotated by the transmitted one-way rotational power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy regeneration device of a suspension system for a vehicle, the device comprising:
a suspension link that connects a wheel carrier to a vehicle body;
a bushing unit that is disposed between a vehicle body connection portion of the suspension link and the vehicle body and outputs hinge motion of the suspension link through an output gear;
a one-way power transmission mechanism that is engaged with the output gear of the bushing unit, receives the hinge motion transmitted from the output gear through an input gear, and outputs only one-way rotational power; and
a generator that is disposed at a first side of the vehicle body, is engaged with the one-way power transmission mechanism, and generates electricity while being rotated by the transmitted one-way rotational power;
wherein the bushing unit comprises:
an outer pipe combined with the vehicle body connection portion of the suspension link wherein a plurality of rotation protrusions are formed to an internal circumference of the outer pipe;
an inner pipe disposed inside the outer pipe and fixed to a second side of the vehicle body;
a rubber bushing disposed between the outer pipe and the inner pipe and bonded to the outer pipe;
wherein the output gear is coupled with the rubber bushing through an inner extension that extends between the rubber bushing and the inner pipe, wherein a plurality of supporting protrusions are formed to an external circumference of the inner extension;
a bearing support ring fixed to an inner side of the inner extension of the output gear; and
a first bearing disposed on an outer side of the inner pipe in friction contact with the bearing support ring.

2. The energy regeneration device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a speed-up mechanism that couples the generator and the one-way power transmission mechanism, speeds up the one-way rotational power transmitted from the one-way power transmission mechanism, and transmits the one-way rotational power increased in speed to a rotary shaft of the generator;
a rectifier that is electrically connected with the generator and rectifies the electricity generated by the generator; and
a battery that is electrically connected with the rectifier and accumulates electric energy.

3. The energy regeneration device of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of rotation protrusions and the plurality of supporting protrusions are formed at a predetermined distance from each other, and
two supporting protrusions as a pair are disposed between two rotation protrusions.

4. The energy regeneration device of claim 2 , further comprising a seal ring configured to form a seal between the first bearing and the bearing support ring.

5. The energy regeneration device of claim 4 , wherein the seal ring is formed integrally with a stopper fixed to an interior circumference of the bearing support ring.

6. The energy regeneration device of claim 2 , wherein the one-way power transmission mechanism comprises:
an inner case;
an outer case combined with the inner case and having a bolt insertion pipe in which a bolt is inserted;
wherein the input gear is engaged with the output gear of the bushing unit, the input gear located inside the inner case and the outer case, and the input gear having an outer extension extending axially outward;
a third bearing disposed between an outer side of the input gear and an inner side of the inner case;
a fourth bearing disposed between an inner side of the outer extension and an outer side of the bolt insertion pipe;
a one-way clutch disposed on an outer side of the outer extension;
a speed-up gear disposed on an outer side of the one-way clutch; and
one or more idle gears transmitting one-way rotational power to the speed-up mechanism in mesh with the speed-up gear.

7. The energy regeneration device of claim 6 , wherein the one-way clutch transmits rotational power from the output gear of the bushing unit to the speed-up gear in bumping or in rebounding of the suspension link.

8. The energy regeneration device of claim 2 , wherein the speed-up mechanism comprises:
a speed-up mechanism housing integrally formed between the generator and the one-way power transmission mechanism; and
one or more planetary gear sets disposed in the speed-up mechanism housing.

9. The energy regeneration device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more planetary gear sets are single pinion planetary gear sets.

10. The energy regeneration device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more planetary gear sets include three single pinion planetary gear sets.

11. The energy regeneration device of claim 10 , wherein a ring gear of each of the single pinion gear sets is fixed to the speed-up mechanism housing and functions as a fixed element, a planetary carrier thereof functions as an input element, and a sun gear thereof functions as an output element.

12. The energy regeneration device of claim 10 , wherein the three planetary gear sets comprise:
a first planetary gear set that is a single pinion planetary gear set including a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first planetary carrier supporting a first pinion being in mesh with the first sun gear and the first ring gear therebetween;
a second planetary gear set that is a single pinion planetary gear set including a second sun gear, a second ring gear, and a second planetary carrier supporting a second pinion being in mesh with the second sun gear and the second ring gear therebetween; and
a third planetary gear set that is a single pinion planetary gear set including a third sun gear, a third ring gear, and a third planetary carrier supporting a third pinion being in mesh with the third sun gear and the third ring gear therebetween.

13. The energy regeneration device of claim 12 , wherein the first, second, and third ring gears of the first, second, and third planetary gear sets are integrally formed and fixed to an inner side of the speed-up mechanism housing,
the first sun gear is connected with the second planetary carrier and the second sun gear is connected with the third planetary carrier, and
rotational power inputted from the one-way power transmission mechanism through the first planetary carrier is increased in speed and transmitted to the rotary shaft of the generator through the third sun gear.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoo Sang Hoon
• Jang Sung Bae
• Kang Byung Gu
• Lee Un Koo

Classifications

• H02K7/1853 Primary

  driven by intermittent forces · CPC title

• F03G7/081

  recovering energy from moving road or rail vehicles, e.g. collecting vehicle vibrations in the vehicle tyres or shock absorbers · CPC title

• B60G7/02 Primary

  Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F03G7/08

  recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine · CPC title

• B60G7/04

  Buffer means for limiting movement of arms {(stops limiting fluid passage in fluid dampers F16F9/49; stroke-limiting stops for fluid dampers F16F9/58)} · CPC title