Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Electrically powered vehicle

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6200071

An electrically powered vehicle is described that has a bank of batteries supplying electricity to an electric motor driving wheels of the vehicle includes a whirl ventilator system, a clutch system and an automatically operated, engine-generator unit for recharging the batteries. The whirl ventilator system includes housings to produce a whirling air flow rotating a fan to drive an alternator such that air flow from movement of the vehicle generates electricity to charge the batteries. The clutch system includes a clutch mechanism coupling a drive shaft and a driven shaft to impart a driving force to the wheels when the drive shaft is rotated faster than the driven shaft and to couple the driven shaft with a flywheel when the driven shaft is rotating faster than the drive shaft, the flywheel driving an alternator such that momentum of the vehicle causes the alternator to charge the batteries. The automatically operated, engine-generator unit is started to charge the batteries when the level of charge therein has dropped below a predetermined level and stopped when the charge level reaches a second predetermined level.

Assignee:
IFI; EDB-81-105057
Patent Number(s):
US 4254843
OSTI ID:
6200071
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English