Waste energy regeneration system for non-hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A conventional vehicle can be turned into a semi-hybrid vehicle using an ultra capacitor, a self-charging motor, and a number of different other components configured to maximize usage of vehicle waste kinetic energy. In one implementation, detected deceleration of the semi-hybrid vehicle causes the self-charging motor to pass electrical power to the ultra capacitor. In one implementation, the self-charging motor can also be used to further decelerate, or brake, the vehicle. After deceleration, such as upon accelerating the vehicle, the self-charging motor initially draws power from the ultra capacitor to add torque to the drive shaft, which can significantly reduce required fuel consumption. In another implementation, the semi-hybrid vehicle is configured to differentially engage refrigerant compressor power sources so that the refrigerant compressor can be synchronized with a mechanical power source before engaging. This can minimize or eliminate jerking of the vehicle during air conditioner compressor engagement.

1 . A vehicle system configured to utilize a vehicle's waste kinetic energy, comprising: 
 a self-charging motor mechanically coupled to a vehicle shaft, the vehicle shaft being coupled to a combustion engine;    a vehicle battery;    an ultra capacitor electrically coupled to the self-charging motor; and    a controller module configured to direct electrical power to be stored in the ultra capacitor when the electrical power is generated by the self-charging motor during application of vehicle brakes in response to rotation by the vehicle shaft.    
   
   
       2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the controller module instructs a switch from delivering the generated electrical power to the ultra capacitor to delivering the generated electrical power to a vehicle battery, when vehicle waste Akinetic energy is available but the vehicle brakes are not being applied.  
   
   
       3 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising one or more safety switches disposed between the ultra capacitor and one of an ultra capacitor controller or a battery controller.  
   
   
       4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the controller module is further configured to, during acceleration, direct the previously generated electrical power stored in the ultra capacitor to power the self-charging motor.  
   
   
       5 . The system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the controller module is further configured to differentiate the voltage output of the self-charging motor in response to initial application of the vehicle brakes.  
   
   
       6 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a power brake controller, wherein the power brake controller and the controller module are configured to decelerate the vehicle system through a combination of slowing caused by the self-charging motor, and of vehicle brakes.  
   
   
       7 . The system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the self-charging motor is configured to translate the previously generated electrical power stored in the ultra capacitor into torque applied to the vehicle shaft, such that the self-charging motor accelerates the semi-hybrid vehicle with prior, regenerated vehicle waste kinetic energy from the ultra capacitor.  
   
   
       8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the self-charging motor is connected to the combustion engine via the vehicle shaft and first clutch, and to a refrigerant compressor via another vehicle shaft and second clutch.  
   
   
       9 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the controller module is further configured to charge one or both of the ultra capacitor and the refrigerant compressor through differential engagement of the first and second clutches.  
   
   
       10 . The system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the controller module is further configured to engage the first and second clutches at the same time during one or both of: 
 (i) identifying the presence of vehicle waste kinetic energy; or    (ii) identifying the presence of electrical power stored in the ultra capacitor from prior vehicle waste kinetic energy.    
   
   
       11 . The system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the controller module is further configured to disengage one of the first or second clutches, and thereby disengage the refrigerant compressor, when a corresponding air conditioning system for the vehicle is turned off.  
   
   
       12 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the self-charging motor is configured for dual voltage output, wherein the self-charging motor can output two different voltages simultaneously.  
   
   
       13 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the self-charging motor is configured to switch between sending a low voltage output to the vehicle battery, and sending a high power output to the ultra capacitor vehicle waste energy is detected.  
   
   
       14 . In a vehicle having a vehicle battery, a method of using an ultra capacitor and a self-charging motor to increase fuel efficiency through recovery and use of vehicle kinetic waste energy, comprising the steps of: 
 identifying the presence of vehicle waste kinetic energy;    engaging a self-charging motor, wherein the self-charging motor translates mechanical energy from a rotating shaft into electrical power representing the vehicle waste kinetic energy;    storing the electrical power representing the identified vehicle waste kinetic energy in an ultra capacitor; and    engaging the self-charging motor with the stored electrical power from the ultra capacitor to accelerate the vehicle.    
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein storing the electrical power further comprises switching an electrical connection with the self-charging motor from the vehicle battery to the ultra capacitor.  
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 identifying that a braking system for the vehicle has been engaged; and    increasing a voltage output of the self-charging motor to the ultra capacitor, wherein the associated increased electrical power output causes the self-charging motor to slow down the vehicle.    
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 identifying that an air conditioning system for the vehicle has been engaged; and    synchronizing rotation speed of the transmission PTO with rotation speed of the refrigerant compressor.    
   
   
       18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein synchronizing the rotation speeds of the transmission PTO and the refrigerant compressor further comprises: 
 disengaging a connection between the transmission PTO and the self-charging motor;    powering the refrigerant compressor by the self-charging motor with electrical power from the vehicle battery;    identifying synchronization of rotation speeds between a shaft of the refrigerant compressor and a shaft of the transmission PTO; and    upon identifying synchronization, engaging a clutch between the refrigerant compressor and the transmission PTO, wherein powering the refrigerant compressor from the vehicle battery is slowly reduced to allow full powering of the refrigerant compressor through the transmission PTO.    
   
   
       19 . A semi-hybrid vehicle system configured to utilize mechanical waste energy from vehicle deceleration, comprising: 
 a self-charging motor mechanically coupled to a combustion engine via a first clutch and to a refrigerant compressor via a second clutch;    a transmission PTO coupled to the self-charging motor via the first clutch; and    a controller module electrically coupled to a vehicle battery, to an ultra capacitor, and to the self-charging motor;    wherein the controller module is configured to operate the refrigerant compressor through the self-charging motor using vehicle waste energy provided from one of the transmission PTO, the vehicle battery, or the ultra capacitor, depending on one or both of: 
 (i) release of a fuel application system; or  
 (ii) application of a vehicle braking system.  
   
   
   
       20 . The semi-hybrid vehicle system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the semi-hybrid vehicle is configured to provide power to engage the refrigerant compressor with one of the vehicle battery when the semi-hybrid vehicle engine is stopped, or with the ultra capacitor immediately after application of the vehicle brakes.  
   
   
       21 . The semi-hybrid vehicle system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the semi-hybrid vehicle is further configured to temporarily disengage the transmission PTO while powering the refrigerant compressor, such that the semi-hybrid vehicle can synchronize a rotation speed of the refrigerant compressor with a rotation speed of the transmission PTO.  
   
   
       22 . The semi-hybrid vehicle system as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the semi-hybrid vehicle is configured to, in conjunction with the first and second clutches, engage both the transmission PTO and the refrigerant compressor during vehicle deceleration.  
   
   
       23 . A vehicle system configured to tie together operation of the vehicle's braking system, electrical system, and air conditioning system in order to maximize fuel consumption efficiency, comprising: 
 a braking system coupled with a braking controller;    an electrical system that communicatively couples a vehicle battery and an ultra capacitor to a controller module; and    a multi-mode self-charging motor coupled to the controller module, to the vehicle battery, to the ultra capacitor, and to the air conditioning system;    wherein the controller module and self-charging motor are configured to, upon detecting application of the vehicle brakes, decelerate the vehicle system by increasing electrical output of the self-charging motor to the ultra capacitor.    
   
   
       24 . The vehicle system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the self-charging motor is configured to send a low voltage output to the vehicle battery, and immediately switch output to the ultra capacitor upon detecting application of the vehicle brake pedal.