2297 results about "Starter" patented technology

A disk apparatus includes (a) an actuator having a head supporting arm with a tab formed on the arm and a voice coil fixed to the arm, which arm is rotatable on a horizontal rotary shaft as well as on a vertical rotary shaft, (b) a voice coil motor having an upper yoke with a magnet fixed to the upper yoke and a lower yoke sandwiching and confronting the voice coil, and (c) a ramp section guiding and holding the tab at a refuge place. When the actuator at the refuge place starts loading with a starter command, a pulsed driving current is applied to the voice coil temporarily for urging the tab against a tab-holding plane of the ramp section, thereby making use of repulsion force generated on the actuator, so that the tab can leave the refuge place efficiently for carrying out the loading operation.

The present invention provides an alternator starter accessory drive system for a hybrid vehicle. The starter alternator accessory drive system includes a planetary gear set having a first, second, and third planetary member. An engine is operatively connected to the first planetary member, and a first motor / generator is operatively connected to the second planetary member. A torque transfer device operatively connects a plurality of accessories to the third planetary member. A second motor / generator is operatively connected to either the third planetary member or the torque transfer device. Engine output is transferable through the planetary gear set to drive the accessories at a selectable rate, and the first and second motor / generators are controllable to run the accessories while the engine is off and to re-start the engine.

A turbofan gas turbine propulsion engine includes a multi-speed transmission between the high pressure and low pressure turbines and associated high pressure and low pressure starter-generators. The multi-speed transmission reduces the operating speed range from the low pressure turbine to its associated starter-generator, and is configurable to allow the starter-generator associated with the low pressure turbine to supply starting torque to the engine.

A full hybrid electric vehicle comprises a heat engine, a one-way-clutch connected to the engine shaft, an electric motor, a planetary gear unit, a clutch with limited torque, and a transmission. The planetary gear unit includes at least a sun gear (an input element), a ring gear (an input element) and a pinion carrier (an output element). The torque-limited clutch seats between two of the planetary gear elements. The engine is connected to and applies torque on one of the input elements. The electric motor is connected to and applies torque on the other input element. While the vehicle is running, the engine can be started smoothly by engaging the torque-limited clutch and controlling the motor torque, and a shock on the vehicle similar to a rough shift can be avoided.

A hybrid electric drive system for an automotive vehicle comprises a heat engine, an electric motor, a one-way-clutch, a torque-limiting clutch, and a transmission. The one-way-clutch disposed between the engine shaft and the motor shaft, and it can transmit torque from the engine shaft to the motor shaft. The transmission has an input shaft being connected to the motor shaft and an output shaft to drive the wheels. The torque-limiting clutch is also disposed between the engine shaft and the motor shaft. When it is disengaged, the torque-limiting clutch disconnects the motor shaft from the engine shaft, so the motor can solely drive the vehicle. When it is engaged, the clutch transmits a pre-determined level of torque from the motor shaft to the engine shaft in order to start the engine. The torque limiting clutch will smooth out the torque peak when the system starts the engine while the vehicle is running.

The invention provides a series / parallel double-motor and two-clutch hybrid electric drive unit for a vehicle, comprising a main drive motor, an integrated starter-generator, a compensating gear, a principal axis, a first-level reduction gear, a main clutch and a first clutch, wherein the main drive motor is connected with the first-level reduction gear by the first clutch. The invention also provides a series / parallel double-motor and tri-clutch hybrid electric drive unit for the vehicle, which comprises a second clutch and a second-level reduction gear on the basis of the double-motor and two-clutch hybrid drive unit. In the hybrid electric drive unit of the invention, the inner structure has compact layout and the inner connection is high efficient and reasonable; the hybrid electric drive unit of the invention can realize switch of connection and disconnection between each hybrid power source and wheels and achieves switch between operating modes and gears for a hybrid power-driven system by switching power output torque.

A systematic method and system for testing the charging and starting systems of a vehicle, which requires each individual test to pass before proceeding is provided. In addition, the system and method incorporates an improved alternator test that determines whether the alternator belt is slipping using data read using a vehicle data port. Further, the system and method provides a battery bank test that correlates the voltage before and after a load is applied to the battery bank to the batteries' conditions. When testing the starter, the oil temperature is read via the vehicle data port, allowing for a determination of whether the current draw is abnormally high.

A portable range extender is provided for an electric vehicle having a vehicle controller, and an electric traction motor powered by a battery. The portable range extender has an engine, a dynamoelectric machine coupled to the engine by a shaft and electrically connectable to the vehicle, and a range extender controller for controlling operations of the range extender independently of the vehicle controller. The range extender controller monitors voltage of the battery to automatically activate the range extender when the battery voltage is less than a first threshold value and automatically deactivate the range extender when the battery voltage reaches a second threshold value. The dynamoelectric machine operates as a motor for starting the engine when the battery voltage is less than the first threshold value. In response to prescribed engine conditions, the range extender controller operates the dynamoelectric machine as a generator driven by the engine to generate electric power supplied to the vehicle.

A starter and accessory drive system and method for hybrid drive vehicles is provided. The invention isolates the accessory drive system from the transfer of torque between a starter motor and the crankshaft of the engine. In one embodiment, a dedicated flexible drive member transfers torque from the starter motor to the crankshaft to re-start the engine. In another embodiment, a torque transfer control is employed to selectively apply torque from the starter motor to the accessory drive, to drive the accessories when the engine is stopped, and / or to the engine crankshaft to re-start the engine. In another embodiment of the invention, the accessory drive is isolated from the engine crankshaft and is instead driven by a drive motor on the accessory drive while the engine crankshaft is connected to a starter motor and / or generator which can be energized to re-start the engine.

A backpack blower has a lightweight engine, a starter, a fuel tank, a fan, a frame for the engine, two hollow tubes, and a control mechanism upon one tube. The blower improvement comes from a housing and two elbows. The round housing contains the fan and has two tangential outlets. The two elbows have a generally round cross section and a generally right angle shape. On each elbow, the first end connects with an outlet and the second end joins a tube. The elbows rotate and bend, directing leaves and debris with airflow from the tubes.

Provided is a hybrid driving device capable of transmitting a target torque to a speed change gear without deficiency and without excess, regarding a technology of starting up an engine by a driving force of a rotating electrical machine during EV driving. The hybrid driving device is provided with a rotating electrical machine which is connected to a speed change gear through a hydraulic power transmission having a lockup clutch; and an engine start control device which starts an engine by controlling the number of rotations so that the number of rotations of the rotating electrical machine becomes a target number of rotations, by slipping the lockup clutch, prior to starting the engine. A transmission torque estimation means for estimating a transmission torque which is transmitted by the lockup clutch, under the condition that the lockup clutch slips, and a target rotation number determination means for determining a target number of rotations regarding the rotation number control for the rotating electrical machine, on the basis of the transmission torque estimated by the transmission torque estimation means, a target input torque to the speed change gear, and an actual turbine rotation number, are provided. The engine start control device controls the velocity so that the rotating electrical machine has the determined target number of rotations.

A vehicle-starting-engine-torque restricting device is provided to restrict engine torque upon starting of a vehicle with an engine used as a vehicle drive power source, so that a required output of a first electric motor which generates a reaction force corresponding to the engine torque can be made smaller than when the engine torque is not restricted. Namely, the vehicle-starting-engine-torque restricting device eliminates a need of increasing the maximum output of the first electric motor to generate the reaction force corresponding to the engine torque, making it possible to reduce the required size of the first electric motor.

A vehicle includes a motor / generator, a starter motor, a disconnect clutch disposed between the engine and the motor / generator, and at least one clutch disposed between the motor / generator and the vehicle drive wheels. When an engine start is requested, various parameters are controlled to ensure a smooth engine start wherein driveline torque disturbances are minimized. The starter motor is used to crank the engine at the lowest engine speeds when the engine-required torque is the highest. This reduces the amount of torque necessary to be supplied from the motor / generator, and further helps to reduce torque disturbances in the driveline. If the motor / generator is producing torque to propel the vehicle at the time the engine start is requested, a launch clutch or one or more transmission clutches can be controlled to provide slip between the motor / generator and the vehicle drive wheels to further reduce torque disturbances in the driveline.