Carbon fiber composite body, multi-fuel engine charging system, electrically driven car

• US 20100288569A1
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ronald Craig Fish
• Original Assignee: Ronald Craig Fish
• Inventors: Fish, Ronald Craig
• Application Number:
  US12/454,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20100288569A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• 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 15/07 of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 16/00 Arrangements in connection with power supply of propulsion units in vehicles from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind B60L8/00; marine propulsion by wind motors driving water-engaging propulsive elements B63H13/00; wind motors specially adapted for installation on vehicles F03D9/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03157 for supply different types of fuel to the motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0637 the fuel tank is arranged in the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/114 Racing vehicles, e.g. Formula one, Karts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/90 : Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A very light, very small (½ lane width) carbon fiber composite hull, single passenger (or two passenger in tandem F18 cockpit style) Formula-One-form-factor, flex-fuel, plug-in hybrid with swappable battery packs. The battery pack not being used will be charged by a home charging station that uses solar panels during the day and a computer to control the charge and which completes the charge from the grid at night or at low demand times to even out the load on the grid. The flex fuel engine may only drive a generator like in the case of the Chevy Volt and will run on ethanol, compressed natural gas or gasoline. The car will have very low drag as the Formula One front and rear aerodynamic wings will be extended to cover the open wheels to reduce vortices. These wings will also be covered with solar panels to provide partial trickle charge while the car is in the sun while parked at work etc.

Claims

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said chassis and body are sized such that the distance from the outside of the wheels on one side of the vehicle to the outside of the wheels on the other side of the vehicle is approximately half the width of a traffic lane, said body having two seats mounted one behind the other.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

an electric motor coupled to drive at least one wheel and coupled to receive power from any modular rechargeable battery pack fastened into said bay via a cable or any other electrical path that couples power from a battery module fastened into said bay and said electric motor; and

an engine coupled to a generator to generate power to drive said electric motor when said modular rechargeable battery pack needs recharging.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said engine is a multi-fuel engine being capable of running at least on compressed natural gas and at least one other fuel selected from the group:

gasoline, ethanol, ethanol and gasoline blends, and/or liquid fuel generated from coal.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a charging control system or ECU coupling said generator to said rechargeable battery pack and to said electric motor to control the charge of said battery pack or to supply power to said electric motor or both.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said body is made of carbon fiber composite material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an electric motor coupled to drive at least one wheel and coupled to receive power from any modular rechargeable battery pack fastened into said bay via a cable or any other electrical path that couples power from a battery module fastened into said bay and said electric motor; and

an engine coupled to a generator to generate power to drive said electric motor when said modular rechargeable battery pack needs recharging.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said engine is a multi-fuel engine being capable of running at least on compressed natural gas and at least one other fuel selected from the group:

gasoline, ethanol, ethanol and gasoline blends, and/or liquid fuel generated from coal.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a charging control system or ECU coupling said generator to said rechargeable battery pack and to said electric motor to control the charge of said battery pack or to supply power to said electric motor or both.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a charging control system coupling said generator to said rechargeable battery pack to control the engine to maintain the charge of said modular rechargeable battery pack within predetermined levels.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chassis and body have a shape and size sufficient to have a front and back seat sufficient to accommodate at least four passengers, and wherein said body is made of the same type materials used in the Toyota Prius®

or Honda Insight®

hybrid cars.

12. An electrically driven vehicle having a modular, replaceable, rechargeable battery pack which can be attached to the vehicle by latches or any other fastening mechanism which are such that said battery pack can be quickly removed and replaced with another battery pack.

13. A vehicle having a body coupled to a chassis and wheels coupled to said chassis by a suspension system such that a propulsion mechanism comprising at least an electric motor and modular, easily removable rechargeable battery pack which latches into a bay in said chassis and an engine which can generate electric power to drive said electric motor or charge said rechargeable battery pack or both, said body having two seats therein arranged such that one seat is behind the other, said chassis and body having a width which is approximately one half or less of the width of a standard traffic lane.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein said engine is a flex fuel engine which works together with said electric motor and said rechargeable battery pack to drive said wheels such that said electric motor drives said wheels while said rechargeable battery has sufficient power stored therein to drive said electric motor and said flex fuel engine drives said wheels by generating power to drive said electric motor when said rechargeable battery does not have sufficient power to meet demand by a driver of said vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein said body is made of carbon fiber composite material.

16. A battery charging/swapping station comprising:

a mechanical carousel or sliding mechanism that functions to;

reach up, unfasten and remove a first modular rechargeable battery pack that is removeably mounted in a bay on the underside of an electrically powered vehicle chassis;

rotate or slide so as to move said first rechargeable battery pack out from under said bay and move another second rechargeable battery pack into position under said bay;

lift up said second rechargeable battery pack and attach it into place in said bay; and

control recharging of said first rechargeable battery pack so as to recharge it.

17. The battery charging/swapping station of claim 16 having a charging system which functions to control charging of said first rechargeable battery pack so as to charge said battery pack first from one or more alternative energy sources selected from the group comprising:

solar power, wind power, geothermal power, tidal power or any other alternative energy source which is available, and second from a power grid powered by power plants fired by nuclear power, coal, natural gas, oil or other fossil fuel sources.

18. The battery charging/swapping station of claim 16 wherein said charging system controls recharging of said first rechargeable battery pack so as to use any available alternative energy source to charge said first rechargeable battery pack during daytime and, if necessary, finishes charging said first rechargeable battery pack from said power grid at night or during other low demand times on said grid.