Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Tim James Bowman

Robert Helle-Lorentzen

Don Andreas Josephine Kees

An apparatus for measuring the mass of a hybrid vehicle having a prime mover, a secondary mover incorporating a flywheel, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) being connectable with a driveline of the vehicle and with the flywheel, the apparatus including a means for measuring a rate of change of CVT ratio during a transference of energy between the hybrid vehicle and the flywheel.

Mass measurement of a flywheel hybrid vehicle

A hybrid vehicle has an internal combustion engineand a flywheel. Storage and release of energy by the flywheelis enabled by a continuously variable transmissionand clutchunder the control of an electronic module. The amount of energy transferred from the vehicle one to the flywheelduring a deceleration manoeuvre is maximized by increasing the engine speed. As a result, the engine does more work against the braking force of the accelerating flywheel and causes the flywheel to spin up to a higher rotational speed.

Hybrid vehicle control apparatus and method

A sensor is coupled to a reservoir for generating a first signal responsive to the liquid level therein falling below a first level spaced above an output port and indicative of a reserve level of liquid remaining. A pump is coupled to the reservoir for pumping the liquid therefrom in metered volumes and responsive thereto transmitting a volume pumping signal. An integrator receives and integrates the volume pumping signal, and then generates, after receiving the first signal, an output signal indicative of the volume of the liquid remaining in the reservoir. An indicator is coupled to the integrator for displaying the output signal.

Growing community of inventors

Bexley, United Kingdom

Tim James Bowman