http://www.autoserviceworld.com/issues/ISA...&issue=01112006 http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/...724234&from=rss
Let me get this straight: an American company claims to have had the ability to create a hybrid vehicle years ago but nothing came of it until a Japanese company produced one of their own? Say it ain't so, Joe.
Getting a patent isn't all that hard, if the invention looks different than what they have on-hand. Later on, in court, is where they really examine things to find true prior art. Seems like 'regenerative braking' goes back a long time, and the specifics of what the patent describes (sailboat-related) may not be similar enough to a car to justify the complaint. Unfortunately, until court, a patent is a patent. IMHO, trying to stop imports seems rather crass, and Toyota shouldn't knuckle-under just to keep their lawyers busy on something else. Pay ONLY if you lose seems the way to go...
Yeah, and they wait until Toyota's hybrid really gets popular? It took them this long to decide to jump in to trying to be some kind of spoiler, ala SCO with Unix? C'mon.
I know that was a tounge-in-cheek response, but it's not a car company that holds the patent that was granted in 1990. The current holder is probably one of those companies that buy up patents so they can make money off of licensing fees. As for the patent itself, a link was posted on another thread here. It pretty accurately describes the power split device, including the use of a planetary gear system to combine two power inputs, one of which being electric. Here's the patent link: Dual-input infinite-speed integral motor and transmission device As for who originally got the patent, it could have very likely been a forklift company. If so, it would not have been surprising if they chose not to develop a hybrid passenger car using the patent.
Yeah, Marlin, it was very tongue in cheek. But at the same time, a company who patents all this stuff normally tries to sell the technology or the licenses to companies who could use it. Now if someone can prove that they never once approached an automobile manufacturer with their technology, I will retract my original statement. Which reminds me of another story: Didn't someone in the 50s or 60s approach all the American car manufactureres with a great idea that could greatly improve their manufacturing techniques but was laughed out of the country? I can't quite put my finger on Demming's name, but I think his ideas ended up being implemented by Toyota, a car company who's name I can't quite recall. Shucks, I just wish I could remember all the facts in oder to draw a better comparison. [editted in] Ok, yeah that last paragraph was additionally tongue in cheek. Don't mean to spin this thread into several new directions. [edit]
