US 11,833,919 B2
Vehicle propulsion system
Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Erie, PA (US); Patrick Lee Jansen, Schenectady, NY (US); Jeremy Thomas McGarry, Erie, PA (US); Peter Trotsch, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Alexander Bauer, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Bret C. Baird, Boise, ID (US)
Assigned to Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Feb. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/184,374.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/994,648, filed on Mar. 25, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0305882 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B60L 53/24 (2019.01); B60K 6/28 (2007.10); B60L 50/60 (2019.01); B60L 58/19 (2019.01)
CPC B60L 53/24 (2019.02) [B60K 6/28 (2013.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.02); B60L 58/19 (2019.02); B60Y 2300/91 (2013.01); B60Y 2400/112 (2013.01); B60Y 2400/204 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
14. A propulsion circuit for a vehicle having an engine comprising:
a generator configured to be coupled to the engine, and configured to receive an input from the engine, and to provide an alternating current (AC) output;
a power rectifier configured to receive the AC output from the generator and provide a direct current (DC) output responsive to receiving the AC output from the generator;
a DC bus coupled to the rectifier;
a propulsion battery system coupled to the DC bus; the propulsion battery system including a battery controller and plural battery units, the battery controller configured to switch between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein at least of some of the battery units are connected in parallel in the second configuration; and
at least one converter configured to convert a received direct current to a produced alternating current, the at least one converter coupled to the DC bus, wherein the at least one converter is also configured to convert a received alternating current to a produced direct current and provide the produced direct current to the propulsion battery system;
wherein the propulsion circuit is configured to selectably provide a charge to the battery system via the at least one converter by re-directing at least a portion of the AC output from the generator to the at least one converter without passing through the power rectifier.