Chrysler Corporation

Dennis E Hartzell

Kevin J Donegan

Gary P Millas

Robert T Shea

William R Snow

David Sandberg

A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores DC power in capacitors and places the power on a DC bus for use in driving the induction machines. A housing includes at least one wall forming an enclosed perimeter, the wall including a plurality of fastener members extending therethrough. The power unit comprising a DC storage unit and DC bus and power switches connected with a heat exchanger provide signals to an AC bus wherein each is connected to each other to form a structural unit. The fastener members are connected through the wall and to the power unit for installation as a single unit in a vehicle.

Integrated chassis, enclosure and cage

A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores power in capacitors and places the power on a dc bus. The dc bus comprises an electrical bus assembly comprising a first conducting plate establishing a positive signal, a second conducting plate establishing a negative signal, and an insulation layer sandwiched between the first and second conducting plates and fixedly secured therewith. At least one of the conducting plates includes fluid passages extending within the plate allowing fluid to circulate therein.

Water cooled DC bus structure

A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores DC power in capacitors and places the power on DC bus for use in driving the induction machines. Power transistors receive the DC power from the DC bus and are pulse width modulated to output a synthesized AC waveform at their output. A transistor connection assembly comprising the plurality of power transistor modules connected in a plane and each having contact pads formed thereon for providing an output signal. A cross tie member is connected to four of the contact pads providing a combined output signal at a center point. The cross tie member comprises a sheet of rigid conducting material with width substantially greater than thickness and including four symmetrical arms extending outward from the center point. The design provides equal distance conduction paths for equal current sharing.

Transistor connection assembly having IGBT (X) cross ties

A hybrid vehicle utilizes a power unit to store and convert power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit includes a water cooled heater exchanger for cooling power transistors used to switch stored and generated power between the peripheral machines. A pump control system for pumping fluid through the heat exchanger includes a fluid pump, a control circuit connected to the fluid pump for operating same, and a power source having a nominal operating range and transients. The control circuit includes a shut off circuit for sensing power level on the power source and turning off the fluid pump when the transients are above a first predetermined level and turning on the fluid pump when the transients return below a second predetermined level.

DC pump drive module

A hybrid vehicle utilizes a power unit to store and convert power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit includes a water cooled heater exchanger for cooling power transistors used to switch stored and generated power between the peripheral machines. A power supply for a plurality of an isolated transistor drives comprises a chopped DC generator producing a chopped power signal, a plurality of gate drives each including a transformer to receive the power signal and electrically isolate the gate drives, one of the transformers providing feedback to the chopped DC generator for regulating the level of the chopped power signal. A plurality of power transistors are connected in parallel and includes a controller providing a drive signal. A plurality of optical isolators receive the drive signal in series to control the power transistors independently.

Gate driver supply

A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores, dc power in capacitors and places power on a dc bus for use in driving the induction machines. The dc bus includes two spaced buses, each of the bus members include a positive plate and a negative plate electrically insulated from one another. A conducting strap member interconnects the first and second bus members. The conducting strap member includes first and second strap plates electrically insulated from one another and secured to one another. A first of the strap plates is connected to the positive plates and a second of the strap plates is connected to the negative plates. Also included is a capacitor bank for storing DC power. The capacitor bank is connected to the DC bus by laminated brackets carrying positive and negative signals.

Power structure construction (DC bus cross straps)

A hybrid vehicle includes a power unit communicating power between a turbine alternator, flywheel and traction motor. The power unit stores DC power in capacitors and places the power on DC bus for use in driving the induction machines. Power transistors receive the DC power from the DC bus and are pulse width modulated to output a synthesized AC wave form at their output. An Ac bus assembly comprises the power transistor modules connected in a plane and each having contact pads formed thereon for providing AC current sources. A bus bar interconnects at least one of the current sources to a peripheral device. The bus bar comprises a plurality of elongated flat plates having a width substantially greater than its thickness and laminated to one another.

Growing community of inventors

Wertogue, CT, United States of America

Dennis E Hartzell