Battery swapping system and techniques

• US 10,300,801 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2017
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Inventors: Gaffoglio, Eric Orlando, Clarke, Alan, Brown, Matthew Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hageman, Mark C
• Application Number:
  US15/607,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20170259675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/06 Supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A system for exchanging an electrical energy storage system (EESS) of an electric vehicle includes. An EESS station is configured to position an electric vehicle in x and y directions. A vehicle lift raises the electric vehicle to a predetermined height. An EESS lift supports and lowers the EESS and replaces the EESS with a differing EESS. The vehicle lift may be an inboard lift and the EESS lift may be an outboard lift. The system may also include one or more rollers configured to guide the electric vehicle. The system may include a horizontal door having at least one tube positioned thereon for guiding the electric vehicle and/or at least one vehicle chock for positioning the electric vehicle in at least one of the x and y directions. The vehicle lift may include lifting arms to engage jack pads of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for exchanging an electrical energy storage system (EESS) of an electric vehicle serviced by the system, the system comprising:

an EESS exchange station configured to position an electric vehicle in x and y directions, wherein the x direction relates to a direction of travel of the electric vehicle and the y direction is perpendicular to the x direction in a horizontal plane, the electric vehicle including a first EESS;

vehicle lifts positioned to be on opposing sides of the electric vehicle in the y direction, the vehicle lifts configured to raise the electric vehicle to a predetermined height;

battery lifts, including battery support structures, positioned outside respective vehicle lifts in the y direction, the battery lifts configured to raise the battery support structures toward the raised electric vehicle until the battery support structures are correctly positioned to engage and support the first EESS after the first EESS is unfastened from the electric vehicle, the battery lifts further configured to lower the first EESS; and

an EESS conveyor configured to receive the first EESS after the first EESS is lowered by the battery lifts, and configured to present a second EESS to the battery lifts, wherein the battery lifts are further configured to raise the second EESS to the electric vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery support structures extend around respective vehicle lifts.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more rollers configured to guide the electric vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a horizontal door having at least one tube positioned thereon for guiding the electric vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one vehicle chock for positioning the electric vehicle in at least one of the x direction and the y direction.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle lifts comprise lifting arms configured to engage jack pads of the electric vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle lifts are configured to engage the electric vehicle at four points.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more floor doors located below the vehicle lifts.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more floor doors comprises one or more pivoting doors.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery support structures include ball transfer pads for engaging the EESS.

11. A system for exchanging an electrical energy storage system (EESS) of an electric vehicle serviced by the system, the system comprising:

an EESS exchange station configured for positioning an electric vehicle in x and y directions, wherein the x direction relates to a direction of travel of the electric vehicle and the y direction is perpendicular to the x direction in a horizontal plane, the electric vehicle including a first EESS;

first means for raising the electric vehicle to a predetermined height;

second means to engage and lower the first EESS; and

an EESS conveyor located underneath the second means, configured to receive the first EESS after the first EESS is lowered by the second means, and configured to present a second EESS to the second means, wherein the second means further for raising the second EESS to the electric vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein battery support means of the second means extend around the first means.

13. A system for exchanging an electrical energy storage system (EESS) of an electric vehicle serviced by the system, the system comprising:

an EESS exchange station configured for positioning an electric vehicle in x and y directions, wherein the x direction relates to a direction of travel of the electric vehicle and the y direction is perpendicular to the x direction in a horizontal plane, the electric vehicle including a first EESS;

vehicle lifts positioned to be on opposing sides of the electric vehicle in the y direction, the vehicle lifts configured to raise the electric vehicle to a predetermined height; and

battery lifts, including battery support structures, positioned outside respective vehicle lifts in the y direction, the battery lifts configured to raise the battery support structures toward the raised electric vehicle until the battery support structures are correctly positioned to engage and support the first EESS after the first EESS is unfastened from the electric vehicle, the battery lifts further configured to lower the first EES S.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an EESS conveyor configured to move the first EESS from below the electric vehicle and to move a second EESS to below the electric vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the battery support structures extend around respective vehicle lifts.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising one or more rollers configured to guide the electric vehicle.