Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080211438 | Fully Charged Battery Protection - A method for protecting against overcharging a battery of a light-weight utility vehicle during regenerative braking includes controlling a regenerative braking process such that a predetermined activation amount of braking torque is produced by a motor of the vehicle when braking torque within a full braking range is initially requested. The predetermined activation amount of braking torque is less than the full braking range. The method additionally includes reading a voltage across a battery of the vehicle induced by a current generated by the motor as the activation amount of braking torque is produced. The method further includes increasing the amount of braking torque produced by the motor, if the voltage across the battery is less than a specified battery voltage threshold. | 09-04-2008 |
20080251307 | Speed Limiting for a Light-Weight Utility Vehicle - A method of limiting speed of a light-weight utility vehicle is provided. The method includes receiving a terrain roughness signal generated from a motion sensor. The signal indicates a roughness of a terrain over which the utility vehicle is traversing. The method additionally includes determining a peak-to-peak amplitude of the terrain roughness signal and limiting the speed of the utility vehicle if the peak-to-peak amplitude is greater than a maximum threshold. | 10-16-2008 |
20090107264 | Automated Battery Plate Inspection - A quality inspection system and method for identifying faulty battery plates is provided, wherein the plates comprise lead grids that have undergone a pasting process. In various embodiments, the quality inspection system includes a first scanner positioned to sequentially scan a first surface of each of a plurality of the battery plates, after the lead grids have undergone the pasting process. The first scanner scans the first surface of each plate for anomalies and communicates scanned first surface data to a processing center. The processing center analyzes the first surface data and determines an integrity status of the first surface, i.e., whether anomalies exist in the first surface. If anomalies exist in the first surface of any plate the respective plate can be discarded. | 04-30-2009 |
20090107391 | Combined State Of Charge Meter And Fuel Gauge - A vehicle meter can include first and second inputs and a gauge. The first input can be configured to receive a fuel level value from a fuel system. The second input can be configured to receive a power level value from a battery system. The gauge can be configured to display one of the fuel level or the power level. The gauge can display the fuel level when the first input is in communication with the fuel system and the power level value when the second input is in communication with the battery system. | 04-30-2009 |
20090107740 | Hill Hold For An Electric Vehicle - A method for braking an electric utility vehicle including a motor and an electromechanical brake. The method includes storing a value indicative of at least one of an amount of current, voltage, and power that is commanded to a motor of the electric utility vehicle to maintain the electric utility vehicle in a stopped state; engaging a parking brake function of an electromechanical brake after the storing; disabling the motor after the engaging; commanding the at least one of the current, voltage, and power to the motor at the stored value when an accelerator pedal is depressed; and disengaging the parking brake function after the commanding. | 04-30-2009 |
20090107741 | Limited Slip Differential For Electric Vehicle - An electric vehicle, such as a golf car or utility vehicle, is provided with an electric motor that provides dynamic braking for the vehicle. The vehicle drivetrain is provided with a limited slip differential in order to prevent the wheels from turning freely when traction is lost. | 04-30-2009 |
20090107749 | Closed Loop Traction System for Light-Weight Utility Vehicles - A traction control system for a light-weight utility vehicle is provided. The system includes a wheel speed sensor that generates a wheel speed signal in accordance with a rotational speed of a non-driven wheel of the utility vehicle. An accelerator position sensor generates an accelerator signal in accordance with a position of an accelerator pedal of the utility vehicle. A controller receives the wheel speed signal and the accelerator signal, determines an intended speed based on the accelerator signal, and determines a substantially actual wheel speed based on the wheel speed signal. Based on a comparison of the substantially actual wheel speed and the intended speed, the controller controls rotation of at least one driven wheel by adjusting at least one of a commanded speed and a commanded torque when the substantially actual wheel speed is outside of a desired range of the intended speed. | 04-30-2009 |
20090167096 | Pulse Width Modulation For Precision Energy/Power Dumping - Accordingly, an energy dumping system for an electric component system is provided. The energy dumping system includes a power consuming element that consumes excess energy of the electric component system and dissipates the excess energy as heat. A solid state switch selectively permits energy of the electric component system to flow across the power consuming element. A control module is operable to monitor a voltage of the electric component system and apply a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal to the solid state switch to selectively control energy of the electric component system to flow across the power consuming element. | 07-02-2009 |
20090171599 | Battery Discharge Indicator For Golf Car - A system is disclosed for determining battery state-of-charge (SoC) in an electric vehicle. The system includes an inverter that converts battery power to an alternating current, a current sensor that generates a signal indicative of a magnitude and direction of the alternating current, a first analog-to-digital converter (A2D) that converts the signal to current data, and a central processing unit (CPU) that periodically stores a present value of the current data to an associated memory and determines the SoC based on the stored current data. | 07-02-2009 |
20110106357 | Drive System For Electrically Operated Vehicle - A drive system is provided for a utility vehicle and includes an alternating-current (AC) motor for providing a drive torque. An AC motor controller receives a battery voltage signal, throttle pedal position signal, brake pedal position signal, key switch signal, forward/neutral/reverse (FNR) signal, and run/tow signal indicative of the utility vehicle being configured to be driven and being configured to be towed. The AC motor controller generates an AC drive signal for the AC motor, wherein the AC drive signal is based on the battery voltage signal, throttle pedal position signal, brake pedal position signal, key switch signal, FNR signal, and run/tow signal. | 05-05-2011 |
20120116628 | Drive System For Electrically Operated Vehicle - A drive system is provided for a utility vehicle and includes an alternating-current (AC) motor for providing a drive torque. An AC motor controller receives a battery voltage signal, throttle pedal position signal, brake pedal position signal, key switch signal, forward/neutral/reverse (FNR) signal, and run/tow signal indicative of the utility vehicle being configured to be driven and being configured to be towed. The AC motor controller generates an AC drive signal for the AC motor, wherein the AC drive signal is based on the battery voltage signal, throttle pedal position signal, brake pedal position signal, key switch signal, FNR signal, and run/tow signal. | 05-10-2012 |