FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in general, relates to electrically powered motorized vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to Optimizing Power and Efficiency in electric powered motorized vehicles using an Intelligent microprocessor controller managed road load management system, designed to meet the varying torque requirements for driving the vehicle in various terrain conditions, without having to alter the motor power significantly.

BACKGROUND ART

Motorized vehicles have become very popular especially for personal transport purposes. Motorized bikes, in particular, provide a riding experience similar to that of non-motorized, pedal powered bicycles, but without any manual effort. Also, with motorized bikes. Individuals with limited physical stamina or having some debilitating medical conditions are able to participate and experience cycling, from which they might othenwise be precluded.

Further, motorized vehicles such as bikes reduce four wheeler traffic on the roads, with its associated parking congestion, presents a relatively small "Footprint" facilitating access to pathways, ease of storage, and allow the riders thereof to move freely, observing and appreciating the environment and natural surroundings. In short, the use of motorized vehicles, such as bikes and cars are today essential for personal transport.

Motorized vehicles that are powered electrically have become highly desirable in view of the various benefits they offer, like:

• reduction of Air and Noise pollution,

• reducing dependency on fossil fuels like petrol, diesel etc, which are becoming increasingly expensive.

• use of sealed batteries requiring short battery charging time to travel significant distances with minimum or no maintenance, similar to that for a non motorized pedal operated bicycle

• recharging ability of the batteries.

Now the fact remains that a hub motor with a single ratio drive will have limitations in overcoming gradients and has limited climbing capabilities. Another limitation is that owing to high current consumption, the entire system will work at very low performance efficiency, not to mention the reduction in battery life.

The 100 to 250W category of electric motors cannot carry load of more than 70 kilograms without having to physically assist the vehicle for locomotion and this limitation has been over come by this Invention, a clutch less electronically controlled road load vehicle management system. In other words, the only solution for the existing problem is to go in for a variable transmission, which is both inexpensive and efficient.

The present invention hereunder provides for an, intelligent microprocessor controlled managed road load management system so as to meet the varying torque requirements for driving the vehicle in various terrain conditions, without having to alter the motor power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an intelligent electronic microprocessor controlled road load management system for a battery operated vehicle so as to meet the varying torque requirements for driving the vehicle in various terrain conditions, without altering the motor power.

It is another object of the invention to have a mechanism for an electric powered vehicle that lets the rider negotiates different terrains without having to get off the vehicle or physically move the vehicle owing to insufficient driving torque.

It is another object of the invention to have a system that is adapted for house electric and hybrid power packs of varying sizes.

It is yet another object of the invention to let the rider pre-program the maximum speed and torque of the vehicle so that the microprocessor controller based on road load conditions mechanism selects the best transmission ratio of the mechanical type transmission system which could be either gears, sprockets or hydraulic.

It is another object of the invention to have a system wherein the change in tansmission can be achieved either through manual means or electronically by Drogramming the electronic controller.

It is a further object of the invention to have a system wherein the transmission takes place without the aid of any clutch mechanism or lubrication.

Accordingly, the present invention provides for an intelligent electronic microprocessor controlled road load management system for a battery operated vehicle, devised to meet the varying torque requirements for driving the vehicle in various terrain conditions, without altering the motor power, the system comprising,

• A transmission system consisting of a plurality of sprockets on the driven wheel, and a chain, wherein the plurality of sprockets and the driven wheel are linked to the chain to provide a control mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to the other.

• A mechanical or electro-mechanical Aligner-Selector system to change the drive ratio from motor to the driven wheel;

• A microprocessor electronic controller connected to sensors mounted to monitor the road, load and torque requirements.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 depicts Block diagram of operation of multiple transmission ratios Figure 2 depicts power and efficiency optimization for a battery operated vehicle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the innovation. Numerous specific details are described to provide a through understanding of the present invention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.

An electric motor, as illustrated in the block diagram of Figure 1 for a Battery Operated Vehicle, has been incorporated with a transmission mechanism by which the torque and power requirement on the changed to meet road load conditions by the microcontroller, which senses all the required parameters that decide the requirement of torque and power based on the load and drive conditions. Effectively, transmission of power from a small motor is provided to carry a person and load at higher torque and low speed and consequently with lower or as much torque is required at nominal speeds, thus keeping the efficiency of the overall system at its peak performance. This is not the case with any electric two wheelers presently being offered in the market.

This Invention provides for all the Power Train subsystems -Battery Controller, Motor, Charger, Mechanical parts, Wheels, brakes etc to function and perform at their peak rated efficiencies throughout the period of consumption of the limited stored battery energy. The present invention can be used with programming for all power packs that are configured for battery operated electric vehicles.

The performance of a Hub motor (a motor integrated with the wheel) with respect to power and efficiency would be optimum on level terrain and drop substantially as the vehicle is driven in gradients and with increased loads.

This invention provides for options of multiple speed and torque ratios with multiple speed (sprockets) mounted on the driven wheel. The Output Power from the motor is the same.

An electrically powered motorized vehicle according to the present invention includes a chassis or body, a front wheel mounted to the body, a rear wheel mounted to the body, a seat on the body and an electrical motor for powering the vehicle.

An example a bicycle converted to electric power with a 250W, -BLDC foot mount/flange mount motor (1) with a permanently fixed primary sprocket and a three speed secondary sprockets on the rear wheel with uni direction clutch freewheel, driven by a chain (6) as referred in Figure 2.

The electric motor can be either a Brushless DC Hub Motor or a Brush- DC Hub Motor, mounted directly as a part of the primary sprocket.

Alternately the motor can be mounted separately on the Swinging Arm and connected by means of a chain or belt drive to drive the rear wheel.

The sprockets(3) on a free wheel are mounted on the driven wheel (2) to provide variable transmission ratio's by means of a chain (6) from the motor sprocket to the selected rear wheel sprocket, multiple sprockets(3) and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another. Although widely referred to as "gears", but they should properly be referred to as sprockets since they drive or are driven by a chain, and are not driven by one another. However these systems have not been used for Electric Power transmission as per the innovative application outlined in this invention application.

In the present invention, one rear Aligner- Selector mechanism (5) is used as referred to in Figure 2. This typically consists of a moveable chain-guide that is operated remotely by a cable actuated by a twist grip by the operators left hand mounted to the left hand grip of the handlebar. When the rider operates the rotary motion of the left hand grip the change in cable tension moves the chain-guide from side to side, aligning the chain onto different sprockets.

The Aligner- Selector guides the chain to the selected sprocket and maintains chain tension by taking up any slack caused by changing to a smaller sprocket.

The Aligner - Selector has spring loaded pulleys. The pulleys are known as the guide pulley (top) and the tension pulley (bottom). Together they are commonly referred to as the jockey pulleys or wheels.

By the use of Aligner-Selector mechanism, even a 250 Watt small motor provides tremendous advancement meeting requirement of successfully overcoming gradients with peak efficiency achieving designed speed on variable terrains, which is not even closely achievable by a direct hub motor principle. Thereby, the battery life, motor life and controller life and performance are at their peak due to efficient heat dissipation and reduced heat losses.

The motor can be either a permanent magnetic field brush or brushless motor. The batteries as well as other electronic parts are enclosed or sealed within a cover or enclosure made of steel, aluminum, fiberglass or plastic where the power pack includes more than one battery, the batteries can be enclosed or sealed within the same cover or enclosure for insertion in and removal from the body as a unit.

Electric motors of various power ratings or horsepower can be used in the vehicle depending on the power requirements. Thus the power pack and electric motor for a particular vehicle can be selected to obtain desired speed and performance capabilities.

The vehicle can be provided with a transmission including various primary and / or secondary gears or chain sprockets to obtain a desired ratio of motor speed to rear wheel speed. The transmission can incorporate various transmission ratios in accordance with the speed and performance capabilities desired for the vehicle.

The electronic controller and/or the electric motor can be removed and replaced with a different electronic controller and /or electric motor in accordance with different speed and performance characteristics desired for the vehicle.

The programmable electronic controller instructs by means of information received from sensors placed in the vehicle for changing the transmission ratio to maintain peak motor performance at all times. Effectively by this invention all subsystems of the vehicle- battery, controller, motor will be working at their peak capabilities and without over load or crossing the (safe operating area) of their design features.

For example the designed Hub motor has a peak efficiency of the motor at 250 Watts and delivers rated torque at peak efficiency on level terrain, however collapses to perform efficiently when road load and gradients vary.

This invention incorporates the electric motor as per example with a multiple gear transmission system for a battery operated vehicle along with limited stored battery energy, intelligent electronic microprocessor motor controller and vehicle road load management system.

By this invention as an example even a 250 Watt motor becomes more than capable of delivering several torque requirements meeting the needs of the operator of the vehicle in various terrains without having to get off the vehicle and physically move the vehicle.

By this Invention, the system of changing gears is implemented by electronic device which monitors with sensors mounted under the seat, the road, load and torque requirements and intelligently transfer instructions for shifting transmission ratios by means of an electrical switch or by manual-operation instructions to change drive ratio to get the optimum torque at the driven wheel. By this design transmission change takes place without having to interface with any clutch mechanisms and lubrication requirement.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from.

We Claim

1. An intelligent electronic microprocessor controlled road load management system for a battery operated vehicle, devised to meet the varying torque requirements for driving the vehicle in various terrain conditions, without altering the motor power, the system comprising,

• A transmission system consisting of a plurality of sprockets on the driven wheel, and a chain, wherein the plurality of sprockets and the driven wheel are linked to the chain to provide the control mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to the other.

• A mechanical or electro-mechanical Aligner-Selector system to change the drive ratio from motor to the driven wheel; and

• A microprocessor electronic controller connected to sensors mounted on the body of the vehicle to monitor the road, load, and torque requirements at any given time.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein it works sans any interface with any clutch mechanisms and lubrication requirement.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the speed and torque at which the Aligner-Selector mechanism of the vehicle should be triggered is pre-programmed in the microprocessor electronic controller.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said Aligner-Selector mechanism is also manually operable using a switch, wherein the instructions to do so will be provided to the rider from the controller.

5. An intelligent electronic microprocessor controlled road load management system for a battery operated vehicle, to meet the varying torque requirements for driving the vehicle in various terrain conditions, without altering the motor power, substantially as herein described with respect to the accompanying drawings.