The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 1989
Filed:
Apr. 06, 1987
Charles J Ahern, Lathrup Village, MI (US);
Bohdan W Fedorowycz, Livonia, MI (US);
Martin J Neumeyer, Utica, MI (US);
General Dynamics-Land Systems, Warren, MI (US);
Abstract
An electrical drive system is controlled by a microprocessor-based, electronic control unit which is coupled to operator-generated input signals and various feedback signals to individually control the major components of the drive system including a turbine engine, a three-phase alternator, power control units and their respective synchronous AC motors and gearboxes. A combat vehicle which utilizes the drive system includes a vehicle bed on which right and left sets of three wheels are mounted on opposite sides of the centerline of the vehicle in driving engagement with their respective gearboxes. Each of the wheels includes a hollow hub in which its gearbox and its synchronous AC motor is mounted. A torsilastic suspension system supports the wheels on the vehicle bed. The turbine engine drives the alternator which comprises a brushless, synchronous device having a variable three-phase power output. Each of the power control units first rectifies the three-phase output power, then controls the resulting DC power and finally converts the controlled DC power to variable frequency AC power to independently control the speed and torque of its motor. The vehicle turns by electrically slowing the motors on one side of the centerline of the vehicle and electrically speeding up the motors on the other side so that the vehicle turns about the wheels whose motors are electrically slowed (i.e. regenerative skid steering).