Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Other

Ecostar Electric Drive Systems L.l.c.

Jack H Xu

Kenneth James Farkas

Michael Alan Tamor

Anthony Mark Phillips

Doug D Deng

Jing Song

Mukunda V Prema

Brenna Liu

Ming Lang Kuang

Dale Scott Crombez

Mark Alan Shehan

Raymond Anthony Spiteri

Tony Mark Phillips

Han Zhou

Matt DeDona

Ramakrishna Raju

Wendy Ge

Clement Newman Sagan

David James Lotito

The present invention, in one or more embodiments, provides a jack-positioning device of jack including a seating bottom and a loading table, where the jack-positioning device includes a base portion to support the seating bottom of the jack, an arm portion to connect the base portion, and a top portion to press against the loading table of the jack, and where the top portion along with the arm portion is to position the jack at a holding position, and the arm portion is rotatable relative to the base portion and the top portion. The jack-positioning device of the present invention may be employed to position the jack within a tight space in a relatively time efficient manner.

Jack-positioning device

The present invention in one or more embodiments provides a jack tool including a first shaft including a first tail with a first protrusion connected to a first spring, and a second shaft including a second head with a second aperture to detachably receive the first protrusion of the first shaft upon a force on the first spring translated from a force of different direction on the first protrusion.

Extendable jack tool and jack assembly employing the same

The level of electrical current produced by a fuel cell during rapid changes in the power demanded by a load, is clamped to the fuel cell's maximum rated current value in order to avoid damage to the fuel cell. When the current supplied to the load by the fuel cell overshoots the maximum rated current value, the fuel cell current is immediately reduced by increasing the fuel cell voltage.

Method for controlling fuel cell stack current

A method and system for controlling a vehicle having an electric powertrain and an electric energy storage system. The electric energy storage system includes a capacitor, DC/DC converter, and a battery. The electric energy storage system is controlled to maximize use of the capacitor relative to use of the battery.

Method and system for use with a vehicle electric storage system

A method for controlling a series hybrid powertrain for an electric vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes a primary power source and an electric energy stored system. The method provides total system efficiency with a load-following control strategy.

Method for controlling a series hybrid electric vehicle

A method for controlling a hybrid powertrain system includes the steps of determining a first power state of the hybrid powertrain system, limiting electrical power generated by a generator to the minimum of the rated power limit of the generator and the first power state, when the first power state is greater than zero, and limiting the electrical power generated by the generator to zero, and limiting the power limit of an electric machine during generating to a first operating condition of the hybrid powertrain system, when the first power state is less than or equal to zero, to provide over-charge protection to the battery. The method further includes steps that provide over-discharge protection to the battery.

System and method for battery protection strategy for hybrid electric vehicles

A braking system for a motor vehicle having braking wheels,, a service brake pedal, a friction braking system operative upon the braking wheels,in response to actuation of the vehicle brake pedal,, an anti-lock braking system cooperative with the friction braking system to control the friction braking force applied to the braking wheels,upon detection of slippage of the braking wheels,, a regenerative braking system operative upon the braking wheels,in response to actuation of the vehicle brake pedal,for selectively generating an applied regenerative braking force through the braking wheels,, and an ambient temperature sensor,. The regenerative braking system operates at a first effective rate of applied regenerative braking force upon application of the brake pedal,at an ambient temperature above a desired temperature, and the regenerative braking system operates at a second, lower effective rate of applied regenerative braking force at an ambient temperature below a desired temperature. Upon activation of the anti-lock braking system, the applied regenerative braking force is reduced at a first predetermined rate when the ambient temperature is above a desired temperature and the regenerative braking force is reduced at a second, faster predetermined rate when the ambient temperature is below a desired temperature.

Temperature dependent regenerative brake system for electric vehicle

An induction motor control system (,) for electric vehicles having a DC power supply (,), an inverter (,), an induction motor (,), and a clamping unit (,). The clamping unit (,) applies a clamping value iq_clamp to a real torque current command i,*. The clamping value iq_clamp is calculated in a maximum torque current calculation unit,and is based on predetermined maximum settings for the motor power P,and torque T,. The clamping value iq_clamp is applied such that the torque current command i,* cannot exceed the clamping value iq_clamp, whereby the induction motor produces,output power P,and torque T,that is always less than the predetermined maximum settings, P,and T,.

Induction motor power/torque clamping for electric vehicle performance

A system and method for reducing speed of a vehicle to maintain a target vehicle speed include determining an actual vehicle speed, comparing the target vehicle speed to the actual vehicle speed to generate a speed error, determining a continuously variable braking torque as a function of the speed error when the actual vehicle speed exceeds the target vehicle speed, and applying the continuously variable braking torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle to reduce the speed error toward zero and control the speed of the vehicle. The present invention is applicable to vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine, electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and hybrid vehicles. The continuously variable braking torque may be applied using regenerative braking to improve fuel efficiency. Friction brakes may also be utilized either alone, or in combination with regenerative braking, for vehicles capable of brake-by-wire control strategies.

Vehicle speed control with continuously variable braking torque

The present invention provides vibration control for a vehicle drivetrain. In one embodiment of the present invention, a vibration control method comprises generating a speed signal representing a rotational speed of the drivetrain. The method further includes half-wave rectifying the speed signal to generate a first signal. Also, the method comprises inverting the speed signal and half-wave rectifying the inverted signal to generate a second signal. Also, the method includes low-pass filtering the first signal to generate a third signal and low-pass filtering the second signal to generate a fourth signal. In addition, the method comprises selecting a minimum of the third and fourth signals to generate a fifth signal.

Vibration detection and control for a vehicle drivetrain

The present invention provides a method for reducing torsional vibration in a vehicle drivetrain. The method comprises detecting a rotational speed of the drivetrain to generate a rotational speed signal. The method also includes generating a vibration compensating torque command which is a function of a frequency content of the rotational speed signal. The present invention further provides a system for reducing torsional vibration in a vehicle drivetrain. The system includes a source of torque, a drivetrain coupled to receive torque from the source of torque and a speed detector adapted to detect a rotational speed of the drivetrain and generate a rotational speed signal. The system additionally includes an electronic controller coupled to the source of torque and programmed to provide operational command signals to the source of torque. The system further comprises a frequency detector having an input and an output, the input coupled in electrical communication with the speed detector to receive the rotational speed signal and the output coupled in electrical communication with the electronic controller.

Torsional oscillation compensation in the drivetrain of a motor vehicle

A method of controlling electric motor torque in an electric vehicle for improved vehicle performance and energy conservation includes receiving a throttle torque request and a brake torque request, and sensing the speed of the vehicle. The brake torque request is split into a creep cancellation component and a brake regenerative component. The throttle torque request is adjusted based upon the creep cancellation component and the brake regenerative component to produce a torque sum. The electric motor torque is then controlled based upon the torque sum.

Method of controlling electric motor torque in an electric vehicle

The present invention provides a method for substantially eliminating backlash in drivetrain gears of a vehicle propelled by an electric motor. The method includes detecting whether brakes of the vehicle are applied. The method further comprises only if the brakes are applied, applying a torque from the electric motor to move at least some teeth of the gears into contact with one another. The present invention further provides a system for substantially eliminating backlash in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle. In one embodiment, the system comprises a plurality of wheels and a drivetrain coupled to at least one of said wheels and comprising engaging gears. The embodiment also includes brakes proximate to at least one of the wheels and adapted to selectively apply braking torque to the at least one of the wheels to which the brakes are proximate. Additionally, the embodiment comprises an electric motor coupled to the drivetrain for applying a torque only while the brakes are applied to move at least the teeth of the gears into contact with one another.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Jack H Xu