Technical field

The invention deals with an energy storage system, especially a storage system of energy of a transport vehicle that contains a flywheel connected to the propulsion system of the vehicle.

Hitherto State of Art

At present there is more than one possibility known how to store kinetic energy of a vehicle with subsequent use of this energy for its drive. E.g. various types of equipment are known that contain devices producing electric energy during braking of the vehicles, which is stored in electric batteries while subsequently this stored energy is used for propulsion of the vehicle. Great weight and large dimensions of electric batteries are disadvantages of such systems.

The use of a flywheel is also known. For instance patent application no. CZ PV 2003-978 describes equipment using flywheels to obtain reactionless traction where the reactionless traction force acts upon the axis of basic freely rotating flywheel as one of a pair of the reaction torque of the engine mounted on this flywheel. The reaction torque is produced in the drive engine turning the auxiliary flywheel in both the directions. The basic free flywheel is set in motion by the reaction of the drive engine on which the auxiliary flywheel is installed. The engine with the auxiliary flywheel is balanced with a counterweight. The equipment works so that once the auxiliary flywheel is put in rotary motion by the engine, the free flywheel starts to turn in the opposite direction by the effect of the reaction of the engine. When the engine gets over the straight line (AB), the movement of the engine is reversed. First, it decelerates the flywheel and then it starts to turn it in the opposite direction. In this position the reaction force of the engine acts in the same direction as the reaction force in the opposite position. The magnitude and direction of the reaction forces is variable, but it remains within the range of the circle (SBD) when the basic flywheel turns by max. 360°. The resultant acts in the straight line (AB). A disadvantage of this solution is that it is only theoretical while it is obvious that it is not feasible in practice.

Another patent application CZ PV 1993-635 deals with a kinetic energy multiplier with a drive unit consisting of a flywheel mounted on the shaft of a working machine along the perimeter of which drive units are installed. The drive units consist of a rotary arm of the drive unit carrying a rotary device. The rotary device is a rotary motor whose driving and counter-rotating torque in concurrent action convert both the torque types to one absolute torque, which is transmitted to the kinetic energy multiplier, a flywheel, by a brake that ensures its gradual setting in motion and accumulation of energy. A disadvantage of this equipment is that it is quite voluminous and thus cannot be used in as small space as the space for motor vehicle propulsion.

Patent application No. PV CZ 1998-960 also describes driving equipment consisting of at least two basic modules each of which is made up of a frame to which stator wheels are attached in the axis of which carriers are mounted in a rotary way while rotor gears engaged with the stator gears are mounted to the first ends of the carriers in a rotary way. The centres of the rotor gears are interconnected with a carrier to which eccentric initiation mass is fixed. At least one pair of the rotor gears is interconnected with the engine. At least two basic modules are mounted in a common frame in a mirror-like way opposite each other and the carriers of the first basic module are interconnected with the carrier of the second basic module with the use of inverse transmission. The transmission ratio of the inverse transmission is 1 :1. Again, great size of this equipment is its disadvantage, which means that it can only be used for large stationary drives. .

The above mentioned facts illustrate a number of disadvantages of the prior art. The aim of the invention is to design an energy storage system that will have a wide application range and can also be used in propulsion systems of motor vehicles.

Principle of Invention

The above mentioned shortcomings are removed to a considerable extent and the aims of the invention are fulfilled by an energy storage system, especially an energy storage system of a transport vehicle containing a flywheel connected to the propulsion system of the vehicle in accordance with the invention the principle of which is that the flywheel mounted in a rotary stirrup that is mounted in the supporting part of the vehicle body is, with the use of a shaft and a gear mounted on it that engages with inner gearing of a rotary toothed rack spindle, connected to this rotary toothed rack spindle while through the outer gearing of the rotary toothed rack spindle and the engaging gear it is interconnected with the propulsion system of the vehicle with the use of a shaft.

It is convenient if through the bottom gearing of the rotary toothed rack spindle and the engaging gear the rotary toothed rack spindle is interconnected with the propulsion system of the vehicle by a shaft. This way it is possible to involve both sides of the propulsion system of the vehicle.

It is also convenient if a clutch controlled by the brake system of the vehicle and the moving-off system of the vehicle is inserted in the connection of the flywheel with the propulsion system of the vehicle. The clutch consists of brake segment and moving-off segment and a position adjuster installed between them while the brake segment is unidirectionally free-running and the moving-off segment is firmly connected with the shaft. The position adjuster is directly interconnected with the propulsion system of the vehicle while it is controlled by at least one hydraulic moving-off control and at least one hydraulic braking control.

In a beneficial embodiment the hydraulic moving-off control consists of a wheel mounted in an extensible element installed in a guide while the extensible element is controlled by a moving-off hydraulic roller interconnected with the moving- off system of the vehicle by means of a pipe and the hydraulic braking control consists of a wheel mounted in an extensible element installed in a guide while the extensible element is controlled by the braking hydraulic roller interconnected with the braking system of the vehicle by means of a pipe.

It is convenient if the brake system contains a brake valve consisting of a housing in which a stepped piston is mounted in a moving way in a stepped cavity while the piston is interconnected with a draw-bar, the piston bears on a pushing spring, the piston contains transfer holes by means of which it is interconnected with the supply pipeline of braking fluid, the piston contains a pivot with which it is connected to standard braking circuit and the stepped cavity is interconnected with the hydraulic braking control with a pipe.

It is also convenient if the moving-off system contains a moving-off pedal controlling a hydraulic roller that is interconnected with the equalization tank of braking fluid by means of a pipe and with the hydraulic moving-off control, also with a pipe.

An advantage of the energy storage system pursuant to the invention is that it is able to store up to 90% of energy generated during braking. It may be beast used in municipal traffic with frequent braking and subsequent moving-off as well as frequent speed changes resulting from braking. In addition, the flywheel is designed so that its mounting overcomes a great disadvantage of known flywheels, is centrifugal force, which may considerably influence manoeuvrability of the particular vehicle as the energy of the rotating flywheel may be several times higher than the current weight of the vehicle.

Overview of Figures in Drawing

The invention will be explained in a more detailed manner with the help of a drawing in which fig. 1 shows a cross-section of the flywheel, fig. 2 presents the front view of the flywheel with a partial cross-section, fig. 3 presents a cross-section of the design of control of the clutch by the braking system of the vehicle, fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the design of the control of the clutch by the moving-off system of the vehicle, fig. 5 shows a cross-section of the brake valve design, fig. 6 schematically shows the mounting of the moving-off pedal and fig. 7 presents the spatial arrangement of the controls of braking and moving-off in a partial cross-section.

Sample design of the invention

An energy storage system of a transport vehicle containing a flywheel connected to the propulsion system of the vehicle. The flywheel (fig. 1 , fig. 2) is mounted in a rotary stirrup 2 that is installed in the supporting part 3 of the vehicle body. The flywheel 1 is, with the use of a shaft 4 and a gear 5 mounted on it, engaging the inner gearing 6 of the rotary toothed rack spindle 7, connected with the rotary toothed rack spindle 7. In the rotary stirrup 2 a speed transmitter 52 is installed and interconnected with the drive control system through a cable 53. The rotary toothed rack spindle 7 is mounted on conical bearings 54 in the supporting part 3 of the vehicle body. The gear 9 that is connected by means of a shaft 12 with the propulsion system of the vehicle engages the outer gearing 8 (fig. 1 ) of the rotary toothed rack spindle 7. The bottom gearing 10 of the rotary toothed rack spindle 7 engages the gear H that is connected with the propulsion system of the vehicle by means of a shaft 13.

In the connection of the flywheel 1 with the propulsion system of the vehicle a clutch 14 (fig. 3, fig. 4, fig. 7) is inserted that is controlled by the brake system of the vehicle and moving-off system of the vehicle. The clutch 14 consists of the brake segment 15 and the moving-off segment 16 and a position adjuster 17 installed between them. The brake segment 15 is unidirectiorially free-running. The moving-off segment 16 is fixed to the shaft 12, 13. The position adjuster 17 is directly interconnected with the propulsion system of the vehicle in such a way that the toothed belt 30 engages the gearing 32 of the position adjustment X7_ while the belt is at the same time mounted in a gear 48 that is fixed to the driven wheels 3_1 of the vehicle. The position adjuster 17, which is equipped with friction lining 33 at both the sides, is controlled by three hydraulic controls 18 of moving-off and three hydraulic controls 19 of braking.

The hydraulic control 18 of moving-off (fig. 4) consists of a wheel 20 mounted in an extensible element 21 installed in a guide 22 that is mounted in the supporting part 3 of the vehicle body. The extensible element 21 is controlled by the moving-off hydraulic roller 23 interconnected with the moving-off system of the vehicle by means of a pipe 24.

The hydraulic control 19 of braking (fig. 3) consists of a wheel 25 mounted in an extensible element 26 installed in a guide 27 that is mounted in the supporting part 3 of the vehicle body. The extensible element 26 is controlled by the braking hydraulic roller 28 interconnected with the braking system of the vehicle by means of a pipe 29.

The braking system of the vehicle contains a brake valve 34 (fig. 5) that consists of a housing 35 in which a stepped piston 36 is installed in a moving way is a stepped cavity 37. The piston 36 is interconnected with a draw-bar 38. The piston 36 bears on a pushing draw-bar 39. The piston 36 contains transfer holes 40 through which it is interconnected with the supply pipeline 47 of braking fluid. The piston 36 contains a pivot 4_1 with which it is connected to the standard braking circuits 42, 43. The stepped cavity 37 is connected with a pipeline 29 to the hydraulic control 9 of braking.

The moving-off system of the vehicle contains a moving-off pedal 44 (fig. 6) controlling the hydraulic roller 45, which is interconnected with the equalizing tank of braking fluid with the pipe 46 and with the hydraulic control 8 of moving-off by means of the pipe 24.

The energy storage system of a transport vehicle works in such a way that the pressure caused by depressing of the brake pedal (not shown here) with the foot starts to move the draw-bar 38 of the brake valve 34 (fig. 5) that acts upon the piston 36 against the pushing spring 39, thus pushing the braking fluid via the pipe 29 to three hydraulic rollers 28. At this moment the conical valve 49 is closed. Due to the generated hydraulic pressure the hydraulic rollers 28 (fig. 3) start to move the extensible element 26, the wheels 25 start to bear on the side of the position adjuster 17 and begin to push and axially move the position adjuster 17. The position adjuster 17 starts to engage with the brake segment 15, which is at this moment firmly connected to the shaft 12,13 by a latch 50. As the position adjuster 17 is connected to the wheels 31 of the vehicles, the torque from the wheels 3_1 is being transferred to the shaft 12,1^ which initiates the rotary movement of the flywheel 1.

In the course of braking there are two functional stages of activity. When the initial energy supplied from the wheels 3_1 of the vehicle is higher than the momentary energy of the flywheel 1, it is accumulated in the flywheel until energy equalization. When the momentary energy of the flywheel 1 is higher than energy supplied from the wheels 3J_ of the vehicle, the brake segment 15 freely rotates both during standing and during moving-off of the vehicle with the engine off.

Complete stopping of the braked vehicle is ensured by deeper depressing of the brake pedal while the pivot 4J _. (fig. 5) pushes the piston of the first braking circuit 42, thus activating the conventional braking mechanism starting with the first braking circuit 42 and subsequently the second braking circuit 43.

The vehicle with the engine off is set in motion by pressure on the moving-off pedal 44 (fig. 6), which pushes the hydraulic roller 45, which starts to push the braking fluid via the pipe 24 to the three moving-off hydraulic rollers 23 (fig. 4), which begin to move the extensible element 21 and the wheels 20 bear on the side of the position adjuster 17 and thus start to push and axially move the position adjuster 17. The produced pressure cannot move the position adjuster 17 closer to the moving-off element 6 at this moment as the brake pedal has not been released yet.

Subsequent releasing of the brake pedal allows more intensive and deeper depression of the moving-off pedal 44, which then causes friction interconnection of the moving-off segment 16, which results in setting the vehicle in motion by the energy stored in the flywheel 1_.

Turning of the flywheel 1 around the vertical axis (fig. 1 , fig. 2), perpendicular to the rotary axis, is accomplished mainly in the identical sequence with its fixed mounting of the centrifugally rotational position. The flywheel 1 is mounted in the rotary stirrup 2 on a shaft with the use of bearings that are not shown here. The rotary stirrup 2 is installed both on the top and on the bottom shaft mounting 55 in a rotary way in conical bearings 5J. that are adjustable mainly due to possible vibrations. Bearing surfaces of these conical bearings 51 are installed in for this purpose reinforced supporting parts 3 of the vehicle body.

The flywheel 1 can also be recharged in the course of the drive with the accelerator pedal depressed, namely to increase reduced speed of the flywheel 1. It can be carried out by depressing of the moving-off pedal 44 of the vehicle (fig. 6), which causes braking fluid to be transported via the pipe 24 to the three moving-of hydraulic rollers 23 (fig. 4), which start to move the extensible element, 21, the wheels 20 bear on the side of the position adjuster 17, and start to push and axially move the position adjuster 17, which results in the friction lining 33 starting to touch the moving-off segment 16, which starts to recharge the flywheel 1 through the shaft 12, 13. The process of recharging during driving can be stopped any time by releasing of the above mentioned moving-off pedal 44, at any moment induced by the driver's need to increase reduced speed of the flywheel 1.

Industrial utilization

The energy storage system pursuant to the invention can be used particularly to store energy of a transport vehicle. List of reference marks

1 flywheel

2 rotary stirrup

3 supporting part

4 shaft I

5 gear I

6 inner gearing

7 rotary toothed rack spindle

8 outer gearing

9 gear II

10 bottom gearing

11 gear III

12 shaft II

13 shaft III

14 clutch

15 brake segment

16 moving-off segment

17 position adjuster

18 hydraulic moving-off control

19 hydraulic braking control

20 wheel I

21 extensible element

22 guide I

23 moving-off hydraulic roller

24 pipe I

25 wheel II

26 extensible element

27 guide II

28 braking hydraulic roller

29 pipe II

30 toothed belt

31 driven wheels

32 gearing friction lining brake valve housing

piston

stepped cavity draw-bar pushing spring transfer hole pivot

braking circuit I braking circuit II moving-off pedal hydraulic roller pipeline

braking fluid supply gear IV

conical valve latch

conical bearing speed transmitter cable

conical bearing shaft mounting