THE PUSHER
A battery powered PUSHER to turn your conventional automobile into a HYBRID automobile
Paul Dieges

The market already has many fine hybrid and all electric automobiles for sale, but the price for the average person, who already has an adequate conventional automobile to travel in, is more than most can afford. Also most battery powered automobiles have a limited range. This invention has the benefit that it makes it possible to use battery power in stop and go city conditions. When the automobile's owner wants to take a long trip that exceeds the battery's capacity, the second benefit is that one simply disconnects the PUSHER and uses the automobile's gasoline (or diesel) engine for power while the PUSHER's batteries are being recharged. The way the PUSHER is used is as auxiliary power the the automobile's engine. The automobile's transmission is placed in neutral, then the PUSHER moves the automobile down the road and the automobile's engine provides the power for the air conditioning, the power steering, and the power brakes. The effect of all this is as if the automobile was coasting down a long hill at 90mpg. If the conditions are such that the automobile's engine was needed to provide additional power due to varying terrain, then the transmission would be placed in drive and the cruise control set for the desired speed. Again, the effect would be like driving down a long, undulating grade.

This idea will make a hybrid automobile available to anyone with a trailer hitch receiver on their automobile, no matter how old their automobile is.

This powered version of the invention originally used a non automatic steering concept, but the average driver found it nearly impossible to back up with such a short wheelbase. Therefore a method of controlling the steering of the PUSHER's wheels was also invented, so the driver would not have to be concerned about where he was backing, as the PUSHER exactly follows or leads (when backing) the automobile. The powered version and the steering version have not been integrated as of this writing. It was found that the back up light circuit of the automobile could be used in changing the control characteristics of the steering as the forward steering response is less than, and opposite from the backing response.

The ultimate design would integrate dynamic braking and battery charging. Other than that, the electrical system is “off the shelf” and uses a simple components to control the amperage the motor draws, and thus the automobile's speed.

It is expected that this PUSHER can be manufactured for far less money than a full hybrid or all electric automobile as there are no “bells & whistles” needed as these are already provided by the pushed automobile.

Some sort of industrial design is still necessary in order to give the PUSHER a pleasing look,. The type of parts needed for this PUSHER are all of standard automotive design, so no ground breaking designs need to be developed.