Patent Publication Number: US-2016238042-A1

Title: Driving Device Using Pneumatic-Hydraulic Pressure as a Power Source for a Vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a driving device for a vehicle, and more particularly, the driving device pressurizes hydraulic fluid with high pressure air, thus forms a pneumatic-hydraulic pressure as a power source to drive the vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art(s) 
     A conventional vehicle, such as a sedan or an automobile, may be driven by a combustion engine that is powered by burning gasoline or diesel fuel, by an electric motor that is powered by electricity, or by pneumatic motor that is powered by high pressure air. By driving wheels of the conventional vehicle to rotate, the conventional vehicle can move forward. 
     However, since the combustion engine is powered by burning gasoline or diesel fuel, a large amount of exhaust gas, especially carbon monoxide (CO), is exhausted, which causes environmental problems. As for the electric motor, batteries for storing electricity have to be replaced regularly, and the discarded batteries also cause environmental problems. In addition, since charging a vehicle battery takes a long time, the vehicle battery cannot be provided for powering the electric motor to drive the conventional vehicle in time. Moreover, torque of the pneumatic motor that is powered by the high pressure air to drive the Wheels of the conventional vehicle to rotate is hard to be boosted. Therefore, applicability of the pneumatic motor is restricted. 
     To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a driving device using pneumatic-hydraulic pressure as a power source for a vehicle to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide a driving device using pneumatic-hydraulic pressure as a power source for a vehicle. The driving device has a pneumatic cylinder filled with high pressure air, a hydraulic cylinder filled with high pressure air and high pressure hydraulic fluid, a first supplementary cylinder, and a secondary supplementary cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is connected with the pneumatic cylinder and is connected to the first supplementary cylinder and the secondary supplementary cylinder via a hydraulic motor. 
     The first supplementary cylinder and the second supplementary cylinder are alternately pressurized, so as to alternately supply the pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder. Thus, the hydraulic cylinder can provide the pressurized hydraulic fluid with a pre-determined pressure to constantly drive the hydraulic motor. The driving device meets requirements of environmental protection from zero waste discharge. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a first operational schematic diagram of a driving device using pneumatic-hydraulic pressure as a power source for a vehicle in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a second operational schematic diagram of the driving device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a third operational schematic diagram of the driving device shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a fourth operational schematic diagram of the driving device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a driving device using pneumatic-hydraulic pressure as a power source for a vehicle in accordance with the present invention comprises a high pressure pneumatic cylinder set  1 , a hydraulic cylinder set  2 , a hydraulic motor set  3 , a solenoid valve set  4 , a first supplementary cylinder set  5 , and a second supplementary cylinder set  6 . 
     The high pressure pneumatic cylinder set  1  includes a pneumatic cylinder  10 , a pneumatic drive pipe  11 , a drive pressure regulator  111 , a re-charge pipe  12 , and a re-charge pressure regulator  121 . 
     The pneumatic cylinder  10  is a hollow tube and has a filling inlet  101  and a drainage outlet  102 . The pneumatic cylinder  10  is connected with a high pressure air generator (not shown) through the filling inlet  101 , such that the high pressure air generator fills pressurized air into the pneumatic cylinder  10  via the filling inlet  101 . 
     The pneumatic drive pipe  11  has two ends. One of the ends of the pneumatic drive pipe  11  is connected to the pneumatic cylinder  10  and the other end of the pneumatic drive pipe  11  is connected to a hydraulic cylinder  20  of the hydraulic cylinder set  2 . The drive pressure regulator  111  is mounted on the pneumatic drive pipe  11 . The drive pressure regulator  111  reduces air pressure of the pressurized pressure air from the pneumatic cylinder  10  to a drive air pressure. The re-charge pipe  12  has two ends. One of the ends of the re-charge pipe  12  is connected to the pneumatic cylinder  10  and the other end of the re-charge pipe  12  is connected to a main solenoid valve  40  of the solenoid valve set  4 . The re-charge pressure regulator  121  is mounted on the re-charge pipe  12 . The re-charge pressure regulator  121  reduces the air pressure of the pressurized pressure air from the pneumatic cylinder  10  to a re-charge air pressure. The drive air pressure in the pneumatic drive pipe  11  is lower than the re-charge air pressure in the re-charge pipe  12 . For instance, the air pressure in the pneumatic cylinder  10  may be about 300 bar, the drive air pressure in the pneumatic drive pipe  11  may be about 10 bar, and the re-charge air pressure in the re-charge pipe  12  may be about 20 bar. 
     The hydraulic cylinder set  2  includes said hydraulic cylinder  20 , a hydraulic drive pipe  21 , a throttle valve  23 , and a filter  22 . The hydraulic cylinder  20  is a hollow tube, is disposed vertically, and is filled with air and hydraulic fluid. The air fills an upper portion of the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The hydraulic fluid fills a lower portion of the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The hydraulic cylinder  20  has a bottom and a top. The top of the hydraulic cylinder  20  is connected with the pneumatic drive pipe  11 . The hydraulic drive pipe  21  has two ends. One of the ends of the hydraulic drive pipe  21  is connected to the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder  20 , and the other end of the hydraulic drive pipe  21  is connected to a hydraulic motor  30  of the hydraulic motor set  3 . The throttle valve  23  is mounted on the hydraulic drive pipe  21 . The filter  22  is mounted on the hydraulic drive pipe  21  and upstream of the throttle valve  23 . Specifically, the filter  22  is mounted between the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder  20  and the throttle valve  23 . The filter  22  filters the hydraulic fluid that flows in the hydraulic drive pipe  21  and from the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The hydraulic motor set  3  includes said hydraulic motor  30 , a discharge pipe  31 , a first branch pipe  311 , a second branch pipe  312 , a first non-return valve  32 , and a second non-return valve  33 . 
     The hydraulic motor  30  is connected to a driving shaft of the vehicle and has an output port and an input port. The input port of the hydraulic motor  30  is connected to the hydraulic drive pipe  21 . Thus, the hydraulic motor  30  can be driven by the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinder set  2  and then drives the driving shaft of the vehicle to rotate. The throttle valve  23  regulates an amount of the hydraulic fluid entering the hydraulic motor  30 , so as to control a rotational speed of the driving shaft. Thus, speed of the vehicle is controlled accordingly. 
     The discharge pipe  31  has two ends. One of the ends of the discharge pipe  31  is connected to the output port of the hydraulic motor  30  and the other end of the discharge pipe  31  is connected to the first branch pipe  311  and the second branch pipe  312 . The first non-return valve  32  is mounted on the first branch pipe  311 . The second non-return valve  33  is mounted on the second branch pipe  312 . 
     The solenoid valve set  4  includes a bleed pipe  41  and the main solenoid valve  40 . The bleed pipe  41  has two ends. The main solenoid valve  40  may be a four-way two-position solenoid valve and has two upper side connections and two lower side connections. The upper side connections of the main solenoid valve  40  are respectively connected to the re-charge pipe  12  and one of the ends of the bleed pipe  41 . The other end of the bleed pipe  41  is connected with a muffler  42 . The lower side connections of the main solenoid valve  40  are respectively connected to a first supplementary cylinder  50  via a first guiding pipe  501  and a second supplementary cylinder  60  via a second guiding pipe  601 . 
     The first supplementary cylinder set  5  includes said first supplementary cylinder  50 , said first guiding pipe  501 , a first supplementary pipe  51 , a first solenoid valve  52 , a non-return valve  53 , a high level switch  54 , and a low level switch  55 . 
     The first supplementary cylinder  50  is a hollow tube and is disposed vertically. The first supplementary cylinder  50  is filled with air and hydraulic fluid and is connected to the first branch pipe  311 . The first non-return valve  32  that is installed on the first branch pipe  311  only allows the hydraulic fluid that is filled in the first branch pipe  311  to flow toward the first supplementary cylinder  50 . The first supplementary cylinder  50  has a top and a bottom. The first guiding pipe  501  has two ends respectively connected to the top of the first supplementary cylinder  50  and the main solenoid valve  40 . 
     The first supplementary pipe  51  has two ends respectively connected to the bottom of the first supplementary cylinder  50  and the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The first solenoid valve  52  is mounted on the first supplementary pipe  51 . In the preferred embodiment, the first solenoid valve  52  is a two-way two-position solenoid valve. The non-return valve  53  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5  is mounted on the first supplementary pipe  51  and in between the first solenoid valve  52  and the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The non-return valve  53  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5  only allows the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary pipe  51  to flow toward the hydraulic cylinder  20 . 
     The high level switch  54  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5  is mounted in the first supplementary cylinder  50  and is electrically connected to the main solenoid valve  40 . The low level switch  55  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5  is mounted in the first supplementary cylinder  50  and below the high level switch  54  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5 , and is electrically connected to the first solenoid valve  52 . When the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  is dropped to a low level position, the low level switch  55  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5  is switched to block the first supplementary pipe  51 . 
     The second supplementary cylinder set  6  includes said second supplementary cylinder  60 , said second guiding pipe  601 , a second supplementary pipe  61 , a second solenoid valve  62 , a non-return valve  63 , a high level switch  64 , and a low level switch  65 . 
     The second supplementary cylinder  60  is a hollow tube and is disposed vertically. The second supplementary cylinder  60  is filled with air and hydraulic fluid and is connected to the second branch pipe  312 . The second non-return valve  33  that is installed on the second branch pipe  311  only allows the hydraulic fluid that is filled in the second branch pipe  312  to flow toward the second supplementary cylinder  60 . The second supplementary cylinder  60  has a top and a bottom. The second guiding pipe  601  has two ends respectively connected to the top of the second supplementary cylinder  60  and the main solenoid valve  40 . 
     The second supplementary pipe  61  has two ends respectively connected to the bottom of the second supplementary cylinder  60  and the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The second solenoid valve  62  is mounted on the second supplementary pipe  61 . In the preferred embodiment, the second solenoid valve  62  is a two-way two-position solenoid valve. The non-return valve  63  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6  is mounted on the second supplementary pipe  61  and in between the second solenoid valve  62  and the hydraulic cylinder  20 . The non-return valve  63  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6  only allows the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary pipe  61  to flow toward the hydraulic cylinder  20 . 
     The high level switch  64  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6  is mounted in the second supplementary cylinder  60  and is electrically connected to the main solenoid valve  40 . The low level switch  65  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6  is mounted in the second supplementary cylinder  60  and below the high level switch  64  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6 , and is electrically connected to the second solenoid valve  62 . When the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  is dropped to a low level position, the low level switch  65  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6  is switched to block the second supplementary pipe  61 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , during operation, the pressurized air in the pneumatic cylinder  10  flows through the drive pressure regulator  111  and the pneumatic drive pipe  11  to the hydraulic cylinder  20 , such that the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder  20  has the same pressure as the drive air pressure in the pneumatic drive pipe  11 . The pressurized air in the pneumatic cylinder  10  flows through the re-charge pressure regulator  121 , the re-charge pipe  12 , and the main solenoid valve  40  to the first supplementary cylinder  50 . Since the re-charge air pressure in the re-charge pipe  12  is higher than the drive air pressure in the pneumatic drive pipe  11 , the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  is forced to flow through the first supplementary pipe  51 , the first solenoid valve  52 , and the non-return valve  53  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5  into the hydraulic cylinder  20 . 
     The hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder  20  further flows through the hydraulic drive pipe  21  and is regulated by the throttle valve  23  so as to drive the hydraulic motor  30  and drive the driving shaft of the vehicle to rotate. Since fluid pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the discharge pipe  31  is lower than the air pressure in the first supplementary cylinder  50 , the hydraulic fluid in the discharge pipe  31  flows toward the second supplementary cylinder  60 . 
     Thus, the hydraulic fluid with low pressure in the discharge pipe  31  flows through the second branch pipe  312  and the second non-return valve  33  to the second supplementary cylinder  60 . For the time being, the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  is at the low level position and the low level switch  65  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6  is switched to block the second supplementary pipe  61 . The main solenoid valve  40  is switched to allow the second guiding pipe  601  to connect with the bleed pipe  41 . Accordingly, with the hydraulic fluid flowing into the second supplementary cylinder  60  via the second branch pipe  312 , the air in the second supplementary cylinder  60  is exhausted through the second guiding pipe  601 , the bleed pipe  41 , and the muffler  42 . 
     With further reference to  FIG. 2 , as the hydraulic fluid from the discharge pipe  31  keeps flowing into the second supplementary cylinder  60 , the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  increases and the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  decreases. When the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  is decreased to the low level position and switches the low level switch  55  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5 , the first solenoid valve  52  is switched off to stop supplying the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder  20 . Meanwhile, the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  is increased to become higher than the low level position, and the second solenoid valve  62  is switched on to allow the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  to flow into the second supplementary pipe  61 . 
     With further reference to  FIG. 3 , as the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  is increased to a high level position to activate the high level switch  64  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6 , the main solenoid valve  40  is switched to allow the re-charge pipe  12  to connect with the second guiding pipe  601 , and the second solenoid valve  62  is switched to allow the second supplementary cylinder  60  to connect with the second supplementary pipe  61 . Thus, the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  flows into the hydraulic cylinder  20 , and the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder  20  flows through the hydraulic drive pipe  21  to drive the hydraulic motor  30  and drive the driving shaft of the vehicle to rotate. Then the hydraulic fluid in the discharge pipe  31  flows to the first supplementary cylinder  50  via the discharge pipe  31  and the first non-return valve  32 . 
     With further reference to  FIG. 4 , as the hydraulic fluid from the discharge pipe  31  keeps flowing into the first supplementary cylinder  50 , the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  increases and the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  decreases. When the hydraulic fluid in the second supplementary cylinder  60  is decreased to the low level position and switches the low level switch  65  of the second supplementary cylinder set  6 , the second solenoid valve  62  is switched off to stop supplying the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder  20 . Meanwhile, the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  is increased to become higher than the low level position, and the first solenoid valve  52  is switched on to allow the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  to flow into the first supplementary pipe  51 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , as the hydraulic fluid in the first supplementary cylinder  50  is increased to a high level position to activate the high level switch  54  of the first supplementary cylinder set  5 , the main solenoid valve  40  is switched to allow the re-charge pipe  12  to connect with the first guiding pipe  501  and the second guiding pipe  601  to connect with the bleed pipe  41 . 
     The first supplementary cylinder  50  and the second supplementary cylinder  60  are alternately pressurized by the re-charge air pressure from the re-charge pipe  12  and alternately supply the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder  20 , such that the hydraulic cylinder  20  can provide the hydraulic fluid with a pre-determined high pressure to constantly drive the hydraulic motor  30 . 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.