REFUELABLE BATTERY-POWERED ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20080053716A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Scheucher
• Original Assignee: Karl Scheucher
• Inventors: SCHEUCHER, KARL
• Granted Patent: US 7,948,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 : Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 : arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 : the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 : for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 : the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The electrical vehicle energy storage system permits the electric refueling of the electric vehicle just like an automobile would be refueled with gasoline at a gas station. Circuitry on board the vehicle accessible by the electric refueling station enables the determination of the energy content of the battery module or modules returned to the electric refueling station and the owner of the vehicle is given credit for the energy remaining in the battery module or modules which have been exchanged. Selective refueling may take place for given battery modules by removing them from the battery system and charging them at home, office or factory. A process for operating an electric vehicle is also disclosed and claimed.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising removable and rechargeable battery modules alternately coupled and decoupled from said vehicle.

2. An electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removable and rechargeable battery module is recharged on-board the vehicle from regenerative vehicle energy.

3. An electric vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of removable and rechargeable battery modules and a controlling circuit for evaluating and communicating energy content of each of said battery modules.

4. An electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein said removable and rechargeable battery modules are selectively coupled and decoupled from an electric motor drive train.

5. An electric vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein said controlling circuit is accessible by an off-board microcontroller.

6. An energy supply for an electric vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of rechargeable and removable battery modules; and

,

a circuit for controlling each of the rechargeable and removable battery modules, wherein said circuit monitors battery module parameters and outputs the amount of energy remaining.

7. An energy supply for an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 6 wherein said plurality of battery modules resides in an enclosure, and, said enclosure being removable from the vehicle.

8. An energy supply for an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 6 wherein said circuit for controlling selectively couples and uncouples a plurality of rechargeable battery modules and selectively shares energy between the battery modules.

9. An energy supply for an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 6 wherein said battery modules comprise first and second plug connections.

10. An energy supply for an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 6 wherein said battery modules are open circuited and will not output power when removed from their respective plug connections.

11. An energy supply for electric vehicles as claimed in claim 7 wherein said enclosure comprises a plug connection to said vehicle and wherein said enclosure is alternately plugged and unplugged into said vehicle.

12. A process for operating an electric vehicle, comprising the steps of:

measuring, periodically, the state of charge (SOC) and energy content of each of the battery modules;

returning one or more of the energy-depleted battery modules at an electric filling station; and

,

receiving credit for the battery modules and the energy remaining in them at the time they are returned.

13. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

charging a battery module with a regenerative device on-board the electric vehicle.

14. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

owner-charging of selected battery modules.

15. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

sharing the energy between battery modules.

16. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

heating and/or cooling select battery modules.

17. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

leasing a battery enclosure having an unspecified number of battery modules.

18. A process for operating an electric vehicle, comprising the steps of:

measuring, periodically, the state of charge (SOC) and the energy content of each of the battery modules;

exchanging one or more of the energy-depleted battery modules at an electric filling station; and

,

installing fresh recharged batteries in said electric vehicle.

19. A process for operating an electric vehicle as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

calculating the monetary value of the returned battery modules and the energy remaining when returned;

calculating the monetary value of the fresh recharged battery modules and the energy in them when installed in said vehicle;

comparing the monetary values of the fresh and returned battery modules; and

,

debiting or crediting the account of the operator.

20. A removable and rechargeable electric vehicle battery module, comprising:

first and second halves of the battery module;

said second half of said battery retains and orients a plurality of battery cells;

first and second printed circuit boards;

said plurality of battery cells residing between said printed circuit boards and in electrical communication therewith; and

communication circuitry.

21. A process for operating an electric vehicle comprising the steps of:

measuring the state of charge of each of a plurality of battery modules;

measuring the power demand of the electric drive system;

selectively coupling the most highly charged battery modules to the electrical drive system more often than lesser charged battery modules when said drive system is under load requiring power from the battery modules;

selectively coupling the least highly charged battery modules to the electrical drive system more often than greater charged battery modules when said drive system is sourcing power under conditions of regenerative braking or other electrical generation;

maintaining a duty-cycle of charging and discharging of battery modules within the specified limits of each particular battery module; and

,

facilitating by said selective coupling of battery modules the convergence of all battery modules to an equal state of charge.