Patent ID: 8499867

Claim:
A method of managing the functioning mode of a hybrid drive assembly of a scooter, where said scooter comprises: (a) at least one internal combustion engine ( 3 ) equipped with a drive shaft ( 4 ) connected by means of a transmission unit ( 5 ) which comprises a driving pulley ( 10 ) a driven pulley ( 11 ) and a belt ( 12 ) wound around the pulleys ( 10 , 11 ) where the driven pulley ( 11 ) is selectively connectable to transmission shaft ( 6 ) by means of a centrifugal dutch ( 8 , 21 ) and (b) one electric machine ( 32 ) coaxial to the clutch ( 8 , 21 ) and to the transmission shaft ( 6 ) having a stator ( 33 ) and a rotor ( 35 ) with permanent magnets that are positioned in said rotor, said electric machine ( 32 ) being capable of rotation in two directions and being configured to be controlled for being alternatively operated for supplying propulsive torque to the scooter by taking energy from an accumulator system ( 36 ) or recharging said accumulator system ( 36 ), in the latter case functioning as a generator said method comprising the steps of: a) determining a required torque and a vehicle state based on a series of received input parameters and/or commands; b) operating said internal combustion engine ( 3 ) so that it does not supply torque and operating the electric machine ( 32 ), sending to said machine ( 32 ) a negative torque reference so that said electric machine ( 32 ) functions as a generator for charging said, accumulator system ( 36 ), when said required torque is negative; c) operating said internal combustion engine ( 3 ) and/or said electric machine ( 32 ) so as to: satisfy said required torque; and/or bring said accumulator system ( 36 ) to a pre-established charge level and/or operate said internal combustion engine ( 3 ) under maximum efficiency regime conditions, when the torque required is positive and lower than the maximum torque which can be supplied by said internal combustion engine ( 3 ); d) operating said internal combustion engine ( 3 ) to supply propulsive torque and operating said electric machine ( 32 ), sending to said electric machine ( 32 ) a positive torque reference to supply propulsive torque, in order to satisfy said torque required, when said torque required is positive and higher than the maximum torque which can be supplied by said internal combustion engine ( 3 ).