초록 ▼

A motor vehicle having a primary internal combustion engine is equipped with a secondary engine and an electric motor to supplement the power produced by the primary engine. The primary engine provides power for acceleration and hill climbing. When in a cruising mode of travel, the primary engine is

A motor vehicle having a primary internal combustion engine is equipped with a secondary engine and an electric motor to supplement the power produced by the primary engine. The primary engine provides power for acceleration and hill climbing. When in a cruising mode of travel, the primary engine is deactivated, and the secondary engine, which is smaller and more fuel-efficient than the primary engine, provides the driving power. The electric motor adjustably augments the power provided by the secondary engine.

대표청구항 ▼

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is: 1. A motor vehicle having a chassis, front and rear paired wheels, at least one of said pairs serving as driving wheels, and an improved power train comprising: a) a primary internal combustion engine mounted on said chassis, said primary engi

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is: 1. A motor vehicle having a chassis, front and rear paired wheels, at least one of said pairs serving as driving wheels, and an improved power train comprising: a) a primary internal combustion engine mounted on said chassis, said primary engine being of suitable size and power to accelerate said vehicle to cruising speed in an acceptable acceleration rate and provide acceptable hill-climbing and load-carrying capacity, a speed change transmission interactive with said primary engine and associated means for transmitting power to said driving wheels, b) a secondary internal combustion engine mounted on said chassis, said secondary engine being of suitable size and power so that when operating at maximum efficiency it is capable of maintaining said vehicle at an acceptable cruising speed with maximal fuel efficiency, and associated means for transmitting power to said driving wheels while said vehicle is operated at cruising speed, c) an electric motor mounted on said chassis, an associated rechargeable storage battery which activates said motor, a generator which recharges said battery, and power transfer means for transmitting power from said electric motor to said driving wheels to provide supplemental power for cruising, d) means for shifting said transmission to "neutral" after said vehicle has been accelerated to cruising speed by said primary engine, and causing said vehicle to be maintained at cruising speed by power from said secondary engine supplemented, as needed, by power from said electric motor, and e) means for shifting said transmission to "drive" to supply additional power from said primary engine whenever more power needs to be supplied to said drive wheels beyond that supplied by said secondary engine and electric motor. 2. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said battery is a lead-acid battery. 3. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said primary engine and interactive transmission are original equipment components of said vehicle, as manufactured, and said secondary engine and electric motor are components which have been installed into said vehicle following its manufacture. 4. The motor vehicle of claim 3 wherein said secondary engine and electric motor convey power to the driven wheels without intervention of a speed change transmission. 5. The motor vehicle of claim 4 wherein said primary engine is located in the front portion of the vehicle, and said front wheels are the driving wheels. 6. The motor vehicle of claim 4 wherein the power conveyed by said secondary engine and electric motor is interactive with a differential associated with said driven wheels. 7. The motor vehicle of claim 6 wherein the power conveyed by said secondary engine and electric motor interacts with said differential by way of pinion gear means. 8. The motor vehicle of claim 6 wherein said secondary engine and electric motor are coupled to a common shaft which supplies rotary power to said differential. 9. The motor vehicle of claim 4 wherein said primary engine is located in the front portion of the vehicle, and said rear wheels are the driving wheels. 10. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said generator is caused to produce electrical power by braking action of the vehicle. 11. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said primary and secondary engines and electric motor are located in the front portion of the vehicle. 12. The motor vehicle of claim 11 wherein power is conveyed to said front wheels by way of a transaxle. 13. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said primary and secondary engines and electric motor are located in the rear portion of the vehicle. 14. The motor vehicle of claim 13 wherein power is conveyed to said rear wheels by way of a transaxle.