DESC:SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR JERK PREVENTION
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority from Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 202221069010 filed on 30/11/2022, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to jerk prevention in the electric vehicles. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system for preventing jerk transfer from a motor to wheels of the electric vehicle. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method for preventing jerk transfer from a motor to wheels of the electric vehicle.
BACKGROUND
Recently, there has been a rapid development in electric vehicles because of their ability to resolve pollution-related problems and serve as a clean mode of transportation. Generally, electric vehicles include a battery pack, power pack, and/or combination of electric cells for storing electricity required for the propulsion of the vehicles. The electrical power stored in the battery pack of the electric vehicle is supplied to the traction motor for moving the electric vehicle. A traction inverter is utilized to convert the energy stored in the battery pack into a suitable form for supplying to the traction motor.
Generally, there are various types of traction motors, however, the permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) are preferred in high-speed electric vehicles due to their high performance. This motor has a very high power density and efficiency, but the use of permanent magnets introduces the counter electromotive force (CEMF or back EMF), wherein the counter electromotive force is a voltage generated by the rotation of the motor. If the motor is rotating at a very high speed, the high back EMF induced can be dangerous in the event of a fault (e.g., failure of the control, rotor locking, etc.).
Generally, various safety methods are used to protect the electronic components of the traction inverter. The active short circuit is a safety mode used in 3-phase PMSM inverter circuits, to protect the battery and the components of the traction inverter in case of loss of control of the converter. It is typically used when the motor-induced back EMF is higher than the battery DC voltage. However, under active short circuit mode or any circumstance under which the motor develops high negative torque, the torque is transferred from the motor shaft to the wheels. Such sudden and/or uncontrolled transfer of torque from the motor to the wheels creates discomfort and safety issues for the driver on the roads. Furthermore, this phenomenon is even more dangerous for electric two-wheelers as the rider might even fall on the road leading to a threat to the life of the rider.
Therefore, there exists a need for a mechanism that prevents the transfer of the sudden torque causing jerk to the wheels of the electric vehicle and overcomes one or more problems associated as set forth above.
SUMMARY
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a method of preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a system for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle. The system comprises an actuation mechanism and a control unit. The at least one motor is engaged with the at least one wheel through the actuation mechanism. The control unit is configured to detect at least one critical fault at the at least one motor, enable a fault reaction at a traction inverter, and actuate the actuation mechanism to disengage the at least one motor from the at least one wheel to prevent jerk transfer.
The present disclosure provides a system for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle. The system of the present invention is advantageous in terms of timely disengaging the motor shaft and the wheels of the electric vehicle to avoid the transfer of jerk from the motor shaft to the wheels. Furthermore, the system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of ease of operation and maintenance. Moreover, the system of the present disclosure is highly robust and reliable. Furthermore, the system of the present disclosure functions in a real-time manner to quickly disengage the at least one motor and the least one wheel to prevent the transfer of jerk.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present disclosure, there is disclosed a method of preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle. The method comprises detecting at least one critical fault at the at least one motor, enabling a fault reaction at a traction inverter, and actuating an actuation mechanism to disengage the at least one motor from the at least one wheel to prevent jerk transfer.
Additional aspects, advantages, features, and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments constructed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an arrangement for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure.
In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.
The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of a system for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor to at least one wheel of an electric vehicle and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilized. The description sets forth the various structures and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, or system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which are shown by way of illustration-specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.
As used herein, the terms “electric vehicle”, “EV”, and “EVs” are used interchangeably and refer to any vehicle having stored electrical energy, including the vehicle capable of being charged from an external electrical power source. This may include vehicles having batteries that are exclusively charged from an external power source, as well as hybrid vehicles which may include batteries capable of being at least partially recharged via an external power source. Additionally, it is to be understood that the ‘electric vehicle’ as used herein includes electric two-wheelers, electric three-wheelers, electric four-wheelers, electric pickup trucks, electric trucks, and so forth.
As used herein, the term “traction inverter”, “drive-train unit” and “DTU” are used interchangeably and refer to a component of the powertrain of an electric vehicle that is responsible for converting direct current (DC) from the battery pack of the electric vehicle into alternating current (AC) to power the electric motor that drives the wheels of the electric vehicle. It is to be understood that the traction inverter is utilized in power conversion, motor control, and regenerative braking of the electric vehicle. The traction inverter comprises advanced power electronics to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the electric vehicle.
As used herein, the terms “traction motor”, “electric motor”, “permanent magnet synchronous motor”, “PMSM”, and “motor” are used interchangeably and refer to a motor specifically designed and employed for the purpose of propelling a vehicle, such as an electric vehicle. It is to be understood that the traction motors rely on electric power to generate motion and provide the necessary torque to drive the wheels of the electric vehicle. The motor comprises a plurality of permanent magnets in the rotor that produce a magnetic field. The magnetic field produced by the permanent magnets interacts with a magnetic field generated by stator windings resulting in the rotation of the rotor.
As used herein, the terms “at least one wheel”, “wheels” and “wheel” are used interchangeably and refer to a circular frame or disk that can rotate on an axis to move the vehicle from one point to another point.
As used herein, the term “actuation mechanism” refers to a combination of components that converts the output of a controller into controlling action on a machine or a device.
As used herein, the term “switching means”, and “switch” are used interchangeably and refers to a device that open and closes a circuit or in other words, start and stop the flow of electricity to a device providing control over the operation of the device.
As used herein, the term “actuator” refers to a component of the actuation mechanism that produces force, torque, or displacement to convert the input signal into the required form of mechanical energy.
As used herein, the terms “control unit”, “microcontroller” and ‘processor’ are used interchangeably and refer to a computational element that is operable to respond to and process instructions that drive the system. Optionally, the control unit may be a micro-controller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processing unit. Furthermore, the term “control unit” may refer to one or more individual processors, processing devices, and various elements associated with a processing device that may be shared by other processing devices. Furthermore, the control unit is designed to handle real-time tasks with high performance and low power consumption. Furthermore, the control unit may comprise custom and/or proprietary processors. Furthermore, the control unit comprises a software module residing in the control unit and executed by the control unit to control the switching means of the actuation mechanism. It is to be understood that the software module may comprise algorithms and control instructions to control the operation of the switching means.
As used herein, the term ‘communicably coupled’ refers to a bi-directional connection between the various components of the system. The bi-directional connection between the various components of the system enables the exchange of data between two or more components of the system. Similarly, the bi-directional connection between the system and other elements/modules enables the exchange of data between the system and the other elements/modules.
As used herein, the terms “plurality of sensors” “sensor arrangement” and “sensors” are used interchangeably and refer to a configuration of sensors in the system and/or arrangement to measure, monitor, or detect specific parameters, conditions, and/or events. The plurality of sensors may comprise current sensors, voltage sensors, hall effect sensors, insulation monitoring sensors, or a combination thereof.
As used herein, the term “critical fault” refers to any fault that is safety critical for the traction inverter or causes the failure of control over the motor or renders the motor uncontrollable/inoperable temporarily.
As used herein, the term “fault reaction” refers to the response of the traction inverter in case of occurrence of any of the critical faults. The traction inverter initiates fault reactions to protect its components and other electronic components present in the electric vehicle.
Figure 1, in accordance with an embodiment, describes a system 100 for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor 102 to at least one wheel 104 of an electric vehicle. The system 100 comprises an actuation mechanism 106 and a control unit 108. The at least one motor 102 is engaged with the at least one wheel 104 through the actuation mechanism 106. The control unit 108 is configured to detect at least one critical fault at the at least one motor 102, enable a fault reaction at a traction inverter 110, and actuate the actuation mechanism 106 to disengage the at least one motor 102 from the at least one wheel 104 to prevent jerk transfer.
The system 100 is advantageous in terms of timely disengaging the motor and the wheels of the electric vehicle to avoid the transfer of jerk from the motor to the wheels. Furthermore, the system 100 is advantageous in terms of ease of operation and maintenance. Moreover, the system 100 is highly robust and reliable. Furthermore, the system 100 functions in a real-time manner to quickly disengage the at least one motor and the least one wheel to prevent the transfer of jerk.
In an embodiment, the actuation mechanism 106 comprises a switching means 106a and an actuator 106b. It is to be understood that the switching means 106a receives instruction from the control unit 108 to actuate the actuator 106b. Beneficially, the switching means 106a is a high frequency switching device that is capable of operating at minimum response time. Furthermore, the actuator 106b is a high frequency actuator capable of operating at minimum response time.
In an embodiment, the control unit 108 is configured to switch the switching means 106a to actuate the actuator 106b for disengaging the at least one motor 102 from the at least one wheel 104. It is to be understood that when the at least one critical fault is detected at the at least one motor 102 by the control unit 108, the control unit 108 enables the fault reaction at the traction inverter 110 and instructs the switching means 106a to switch, leading to operation of the actuator 106b for disengaging the at least one motor 102 from the at least one wheel 104. Beneficially, the control unit 108 enables a fault reaction at the traction inverter 110 and instructs the switching means 106a in real time manner to prevent damage to the components and prevent the transfer of jerk to the at least one wheel 104 of the electric vehicle.
In an embodiment, the control unit 108 is configured to switch the switching means 106a to re-actuate the actuator 106b for re-engaging the at least one motor 102 with the at least one wheel 104 after a predefined time period. It is to be understood that the at least one motor 102 is re-engaged with the at least one wheel 104 after a predefined time period in which the critical fault is expected to be resolved. Furthermore, if the critical fault persists, it is again detected by the control unit 108, and the control unit 108 again enables the fault reaction at the traction inverter 110 and again instructs the switching means 106a to switch, leading to operation of the actuator 106b for disengaging the at least one motor 102 from the at least one wheel 104. Beneficially, said cycle may repeat until the critical fault is resolved. In an embodiment, the predefined time period is in a range of 1 millisecond to 5 seconds. In another embodiment, the predefined time period is in a range of 1 second to 3 seconds. In yet another embodiment, the predefined time period is 1 second.
In an embodiment, the switching means 106a comprises at least one of: a semiconductor switch or an electromechanical switch. In an embodiment, the semiconductor switch may be a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). In another embodiment, the semiconductor switch may be an insulated gate bipolar transistor. In an embodiment, the electrotechnical switch is an electrically controlled contactor.
In an embodiment, the actuator 106b comprises at least one of: a solenoid, a HASEL actuator, a clutch, and a motorized valve. Beneficially, the actuator 106b is high frequency actuator capable of operating at minimum response time
In an embodiment, the fault reaction at the traction inverter 110 comprises at least one of: active short-circuiting and freewheeling. Beneficially, the active short-circuiting and freewheeling prevent the components of the traction inverter 110 from damage due to the occurrence of the critical fault.
In an embodiment, system 100 comprises a plurality of sensors to sense a plurality of motor parameters, and wherein the sensed plurality of motor parameters are processed by the control unit 108 to detect the at least one critical fault at the at least one motor 102. Beneficially, the plurality of sensors provide the plurality of motor parameters in real time manner to the control unit 108 for real time detection of the at least one critical fault at the at least one motor 102. In an embodiment, the plurality of motor parameters may comprise motor current, throttle input, torque and so forth.
In an exemplary embodiment, during the operation of the electric vehicle, the plurality of sensors constantly senses the plurality of motor parameters and sends the same to the control unit 108. The control unit 108 processes the received plurality of motor parameters in real time manner to detect at least one critical fault at the at least one motor 102. If at least one critical fault is detected, the control unit 108 enables a fault reaction at a traction inverter 110 and instructs the switching means 106a to switch, leading to the operation of the actuator 106b for disengaging the at least one motor 102 from the at least one wheel 104. After the predefined time period, the control unit 108 instructs the switching means 106a to switch, leading to the operation of the actuator 106b for re-engaging the at least one motor 102 with the at least one wheel 104.
Figure 2, describes a method 200 for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor 102 to at least one wheel 104 of an electric vehicle. The method 200 starts at step 202 and completes at step 206. At step 202, the method 200 comprises detecting at least one critical fault at the at least one motor 102. At step 204, the method 200 comprises enabling a fault reaction at a traction inverter 110. At step 206, the method 200 comprises actuating an actuation mechanism 106 to disengage the at least one motor 102 from the at least one wheel 104 to prevent jerk transfer.
In an embodiment, the method 200 comprises re-actuating the actuation mechanism 106 for re-engaging the at least one motor 102 with the at least one wheel 104 after a predefined time period.
It would be appreciated that all the explanations and embodiments of the system 100 also apply mutatis-mutandis to the method 200.
In the description of the present invention, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms “disposed,” “mounted,” and “connected” are to be construed broadly, and may for example be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, either mechanically or electrically. They may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Modifications to embodiments and combinations of different embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, and “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural where appropriate.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A system (100) for preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor (102) to at least one wheel (104) of an electric vehicle, wherein the system (100) comprises:
- an actuation mechanism (106), wherein the at least one motor (102) is engaged with the at least one wheel (104) through the actuation mechanism (106); and
- a control unit (108), configured to:
- detect at least one critical fault at the at least one motor (102);
- enable a fault reaction at a traction inverter (110); and
- actuate the actuation mechanism (106) to disengage the at least one motor (102) from the at least one wheel (104) to prevent jerk transfer.
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuation mechanism (106) comprises a switching means (106a) and an actuator (106b).
3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit (108) is configured to switch the switching means (106a) to actuate the actuator (106b) for disengaging the at least one motor (102) from the at least one wheel (104).
4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control unit (108) is configured to switch the switching means (106a) to re-actuate the actuator (106b) for re-engaging the at least one motor (102) with the at least one wheel (104) after a predefined time period.
5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching means (106a) comprises at least one of: a semiconductor switch or an electromechanical switch.
6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuator (106b) comprises at least one of: a solenoid, a HASEL actuator, a clutch and a motorized valve.
7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fault reaction at the traction inverter (110) comprises at least one of: active short circuiting and freewheeling.
8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system (100) comprises a plurality of sensors to sense a plurality of motor parameters, and wherein the sensed plurality of motor parameters are processed by the control unit (108) to detect the at least one critical fault at the at least one motor (102).
9. A method (200) of preventing jerk transfer from at least one motor (102) to at least one wheel (104) of an electric vehicle, the method (200) comprising:
- detecting at least one critical fault at the at least one motor (102);
- enabling a fault reaction at a traction inverter (110); and
- actuating an actuation mechanism (106) to disengage the at least one motor (102) from the at least one wheel (104) to prevent jerk transfer.
10. The method (200) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method (200) comprises re-actuating the actuation mechanism (106) for re-engaging the at least one motor (102) with the at least one wheel (104) after a predefined time period.