Abstract:
A series-parallel dual power hybrid driving system is characterized by integrating the advantages of a series-connected hybrid driving system and the advantages of a parallel-connected hybrid driving system. It permits an engine to run at high power and high speed for normal or high load driving. Under low-power, low-speed light loading conditions the system operates in a series hybrid driving configuration to avoid low efficiency and high pollution by the engine.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a Continuation-In-Part of my patent application Ser. No. 10/364,391, filed Feb. 12, 2003 now abandoned. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (a) Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is related to an innovation characterized by integrating the advantage of a series-connected hybrid driving system and the advantage of a parallel-connected hybrid driving system; under normal loading condition, it enable an engine running with high speed and high power to drive a load, and specifically, in the condition of low-power, low-speed light-load driving, it drives the light load by means of its series-connected hybrid driving system with less power generating, under this operating mode, the electric storage device (E.S.D.) is isolated from system operation to reduce the capacity demand of E.S.D. 
   (b) Description of the Prior Art 
   Conventionally, single power systems are used in vehicles on land, at sea or in air. In recent years, owing to the consideration of energy saving and pollution control, dual power drive systems have attracted significant R&amp;D investments, particularly in the areas of a hybrid drive system which integrating an internal combustion engine and a motor driven by electrical power from E.S.D. Various developed dual power drive systems are as follows:
     1. A full-powered series-connected hybrid system: An engine is used to drive a generator which carries approximate power capacity to the engine, then under the control of drive control unit, the load is driven by a motor which also carries approximate power capacity to the engine, the motor is driven by the electricity generated by the generator; the drawback of the system is that, given various full load rates, efficiency differs excessively; and the power of engine does not support for direct load driving, Since the electricity from generator, under the control of drive control unit is transferred to the motor unit for load driving, therefore the power capacity of generator and motor unit must satisfying the demand of maximum power output. Therefore each of the engine, generator and motor unit must fulfill the demand of system maximum output power capacity, therefore the weight and cost is getting high, and the power of engine is unable to provide direct load driving while electrical units failed.   2. An energy-storing series-connected hybrid system: An engine is used to drive a generator, then, under the control of Drive Control Unit (D.C.U.), the load is driven by a motor that is, driven by the electricity generated by the generator; under light load conditions, part of the electricity generated by the generator is transferred into E.S.D. for storage, and the electricity stored in the E.S.D. is used to drive the motor to drive the load when the engine stops; and under heavy loading condition, the electrical energy from E.S.D. and generator jointly transferred to the motor unit for load driving. This architecture requires the installation of E.S.D, and the power from engine doesn&#39;t support directly load driving, therefore the power capacity of motor must satisfy the demand of system maximum output, and the capacity of generator shall be reduced with the installation of E.S.D, the power of engine is unable to offer load driving while electrical units failed.   3. A parallel-connected drive system: An engine is used to directly drive the load, whereas a generator is driven to charge E.S.D. at light load, so that once the engine stops, the electricity stored in the E.S.D. is used to drive the motor to drive the load; under heavy load conditions, the load is jointly driven by the engine as well as the motor driven by the electricity of the E.S.D.; the drawback of the system is that it is necessary to install E.S.D. of sufficient capacity, and high cost.   

   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is related to an innovation characterized by integrating the advantage of a series-connected hybrid driving system and the advantage of a parallel-connected hybrid driving system with the deployment of E.S.D. Not only does it enable an engine running with high power and high speed to drive a load through its parallel-connected hybrid driving system. Under the various operating configurations of present system, while the load is driven under a low-power, low-speed light loading condition, the power from E.S.D. is transferred to motor for load driving, or the E.S.D. is embedded in various operating mode of the series-connected hybrid driving system. The feature of the present system is to specifically setting the clutch unit  102  disengaged (open) between the first electrical unit  101  and the second electrical unit  103  and letting the Internal Combustion Engine (I.C.E.) units to running in high efficiency region to drive the first electrical unit to function as a generator&#39;s operation. Electricity by the generator is used to drive the second electrical unit to function as a motor for driving a light or medium loading in the form of a series connected hybrid driving configuration. Under the operation of this configuration, the E.S.D. is eliminated from system operation for reducing the capacity demand of E.S.D. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block chart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is another block chart of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  for one of the block charts of the system in accordance with the present invention, wherein, in the present series-parallel dual power hybrid driving system, an engine shaft, the shaft of the first electrical unit, and the shaft of the second electrical unit are connected in series, and the structure comprising:
     an engine unit  100  implemented by various types of Internal Combustion Engines (I.C.E.) in use; utilizing various types of fuels and equipped various peripheral devices, the output shaft of I.C.E. is connected to the input end of the rotary shaft of the first electrical unit  101 ; and,   the first electrical unit  101  that comprises AC or DC, brushless or brushed rotary electric machines, functioning as a generator, or capable of being converted to a generator or a motor in terms of its function; one end of the rotary shaft is driven by the I.C.E. unit  101 , and the other end of the rotary shaft is connected to the input end of clutch unit  102 ;   a clutch  102  controlled manually, mechanically, pneumatically or oil-hydraulically, or controlled by an electromagnetic force, to enable (close) or interrupt (open) transmission of rotary mechanical energy;   the second electrical unit  103  that comprises AC or DC, brushless or brushed rotary electric machines, functioning as a motor, or capable of being converted to a motor or a generator in terms of its function; the input end of the rotary shaft is driven by the clutch unit  102 , and the other end of the rotary shaft is connected to the load  108 ;   a drive control unit  104  to perform full or partial of the functions listed below: the engage or disengage of clutch unit  102 ; or to control the output status of first electrical unit  101  functioning as a generator to charge the E.S.D. unit  106 , or to control one or both of the electrical energy from E.S.D. unit  106  or first electrical unit  101  for individually or jointly drive the second electrical unit  103 , or to control rotating direction, rotational speed, torque and amperage of the second electrical unit  103  functioning as a motor; or to control the first electrical unit  101  to function as a motor, or to control both or one of the first electrical unit  101  or second electrical unit  103  to function as motor for regenerative breaking to recharge the E.S.D.  106 ;   a central control unit  105  composed of solid-state or electromechanical devices, or chips, and related software for receiving the control from a manual control interface  107  to control the operation of the present series-parallel dual power hybrid driving system, and for controlling the drive control unit  104  that drives the first electrical unit  101 , the second electrical unit  103 , the clutch unit  102 , the E.S.D. unit  106 , and I.C.E. unit  100 , and controlling the feedback, monitoring, coordination and interaction among all units in the system;   a starting battery  110  comprising a conventional rechargeable battery unit or other type of E.S.D. such as super capacitor intended to start the engine unit  100  or supply power to peripheral equipment; the item may or may not to be installed depending on requirement;   the manual control interface  107  comprising solid-state or electromechanical devices, or chips, and related software to receive inputs for manual control in order to control the present series-parallel dual power hybrid driving system;   a transmission unit  109  comprising any types of automatic, semi-automatic or manual transmission units and to be installed between the shaft of the engine unit  100  and the shaft of the first electrical unit  101 , or between the shaft of the first electrical unit  101  and the input terminal of the clutch  102 , or between the output terminal of the clutch  102  and the shaft of the second electrical unit  103 , or between the shaft of the second electrical unit  103  and the load  108 . The transmission unit  109  may or may not to be installed depending on requirement;   a electricity storage device unit  106  comprising by rechargeable battery or super capacitors for storing electrical energy from first electrical unit  101  function as generator driven by engine unit  100 , or to store electrical energy from the second electrical unit  103 , the electrical energy form E.S.D. unit  106  could be transferred for driving the first electrical unit  101  or the second control unit  103  functioning as motor or other electrical driven loadings.   

   a load unit  108  for the present serial-parallel dual power hybrid driving system, is the loading installed by demand which requires power from rotary electrical machinery for operating the land, maritime, airborne vehicles or industrial equipment. 
   The present serial-parallel dual power hybrid driving system has at least the following primary functions:
     the clutch  102  is not coupled when the load  108  is in light or medium loading state; the engine unit  100  running in high efficiency region to drive the first electrical unit  101  functioning as the generator to generate electricity; under the control of drive control unit  104 , the electricity produced by the generator formed by the first electrical unit  101  drives the motor formed by the second electrical unit  103  which further drive the load  108 , in the form of a series connected hybrid driving configuration with less power demanding, and the E.S.D. units is isolated from the system under this mode; and   the clutch  102  is closed, and the load  108  is driven directly by the kinetic energy outputted from the engine unit  100 ;   The clutch unit  102  is not closed, and the electricity from E.S.D. unit  106  drives the second electrical unit  103  to function as a motor for further driving the load  108 ;   The clutch unit  102  is not closed, and the E.S.D. unit  106  also jointed the operation of series hybrid driving configuration for driving the load  108 , the engine unit  100  simultaneously running in high efficiency region for driving the first electrical unit  101  to function as generator for supplying power to the second electrical unit  103  to function as motor for load driving, or part of the generated energy is transferred for charging the E.S.D. unit  106 , or the electricity form E.S.D. unit  106  jointly drive the second electrical unit  103  to maintain the engine unit  100  running in high efficiency region.   

   Furthermore, the present series-parallel dual power hybrid driving system has the following functions which are optional:
     The clutch unit  102  is not closed, with the electricity form E.S.D. unit  106  and the first electrical unit  101  to jointly drive the second electrical unit  103  for driving the load  108 ;   The clutch unit  102  is closed, with the power from engine unit  100  to directly drive the load  108 , the engine driven first electrical unit  101  is functioning as generator with partial of the generated electricity transferred for charging the E.S.D. unit  106  and keeping the engine unit  100  running in high efficiency region;   The clutch unit  102  is closed, with the electrical energy from E.S.D. unit  106  for driving one or both of the first electrical unit  101  or second electrical unit  103  to functioning as motor to drive the load  108  jointly with engine unit  100 ;   The engine unit  100  drives the first electrical unit  101  to function as generator for charging E.S.D. unit  106  or driving other electrically-driven loading;   The E.S.D. units supplying the power for driving other electrically-driven loading;   During the break operation, if the clutch unit  102  is closed, one or both of the first or second electrical units  101  and  103  operating as generator for charging the E.S.D. unit  106  or the engine starting E.S.D.  110  or supplying power for driving other electrically-driven loading, or attaching some electrical-driven load for achieving the function of regenerative breaking;   During the break operation, if the clutch unit  102  is open, the second electrical units  103  operating as generator for charging the E.S.D. unit  106  or the starting E.S.D.  110  or supplying power for driving other electrically-driven loading, or attaching some electrical-driven load for achieving the function of regenerative breaking.   

   The application of the power from E.S.D. unit  106  of the present series-parallel dual power hybrid driving system further includes:
     The clutch unit  102  is opened, The E.S.D. unit  106  shall replace the starting battery  110 . With the energy from E.S.D. unit  106  to driver the first electrical unit  101  to function as starting motor for starting the engine unit  100 .   

   Now referring to  FIG. 2  for another block chart of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shaft of the engine unit and the shaft of the second electrical unit are arranged in parallel configuration. For the flexibility of spatial arrangement, the output shaft of engine unit  100  and the output shaft of the second electrical unit  103  could be arranged in parallel configuration without changing the operating feature of present invention. 
   In short, the present invention is related to an innovation characterized by integrating the advantage of a series-connected hybrid driving system and the advantage of a parallel-connected hybrid driving system. Not only does it enable an engine running with high power and high speed to drive a load through its parallel-connected hybrid driving system. With the deployment of E.S.D for energy storing and transferring to drive the first or second electrical unit to function as motor, especially while the load  108  is driven under a low-power, low-speed light loading condition, the system is operating in series hybrid driving configuration with less power demanding to keep the engine unit  100  running in high efficiency operating region, with the power from engine unit  100  to drive the first electrical unit  101  to function as generator, with the electricity from the first electrical unit  101  transferred to the second electrical unit  103  to function as motor for load driving to form a less-power consuming series hybrid driving configuration, under this configuration the E.S.D. unit isolated from the operation of system, therefore reducing the requirement of E.S.D. capacity for reducing the cost, weight and volume of E.S.D., and refining the drawback—low efficiency and high pollution in low-power, low-speed driving of engine. The present invention is innovative, and the functions it puts forth are definite; and this application is duly filed for examination.