Hi Everyone: Ran across this Ford patent that may interest some of you Electrical Engineers and FEH owners. The present invention provides an apparatus, system, and method of utilizing a Home Power Unit ("HPU") which functions as a battery charger for a Hybrid Electric Vehicle ("HEV") or as a generator, utilizing the HEV's electrical power to operate external electrical devices. In its simplest form, the HPU comprises a Transformer, inverter means, rectifier means, a control unit, connection means to the HEV and external electrical loads or sources and switching means to change operation between charger and generator function. Alternative embodiments of the present invention utilize the HEV's existing components thereby avoiding component redundancy within the HPU. Specifically, in the first alternative embodiment, the inverter means are utilized within the vehicle, therefore, requiring only filter and transformer to be added to the vehicle. In the second alternative embodiment, the vehicle's DC-to-DC Converter is utilized as opposed to implementing a transformer. Therefore, only an inverter and filter are added to the system. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6724100.html At that site, don't forget to go to "View PDF Images". You may need adobe updated at the promt and restart you computer. As Wayne would say, this is a great find if I do say so myself! Who knows where this will lead us. GaryG
Hi Gary: ___Indeed a nice find! With Ford’s financial woe’s as of late, I have a feeling someone over there might actually say, “Enough of this follow the leader garbage” and actually take the lead with their patents in the vault. They have the electronic lubrication system ready, third gen or maybe fourth? eCVT already on the road, and now this. I would love to see them be the first with a JCI sourced Li-Ion 10kWh pack in an FEH PHEV-20 for maybe a $4K upcharge ___Good Luck ___Wayne
