RECHARGING SYSTEM FOR A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY OF AN INVERTED PENDULUM TYPE VEHICLE

• US 20110068738A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uebayashi, Yuichi, Akimoto, Kazushi, GOMI, Hiroshi, Kobashi, Shinichiro, HAMAYA, Kazushi, Waita, Hironori
• Granted Patent: US 8,513,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 1/005 Saddles having a seating area with multiple separate weight bearing surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 1/00 Unicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 15/00 Collapsible or foldable cycles

Abstract

A recharging system for a rechargeable battery (281) of an inverted pendulum type vehicle (1) comprises a stand (86) for holding the vehicle in a substantially upright posture by using a supporting member (91, 96) that engages a prescribed part of the vehicle, a power feed device (95, 152) is provided on the stand, and a power take device (88, 151) provided on the vehicle. The power take device is positioned so as to couple with the power feed device when the prescribed part of the vehicle is engaged by the supporting member of the stand. The stand allows the vehicle to be placed in an upright posture simply leaning the vehicle against a part of the supporting member, and the electric connection between the rechargeable battery of the vehicle and the power source can be established at the same time without requiring any extra effort.

Claims

1. A recharging system for a rechargeable battery of an inverted pendulum type vehicle, comprising:

a stand for holding the vehicle in a substantially upright posture by using a supporting member that engages a prescribed part of the vehicle;

a power feed device provided on the stand and connected to a power source; and

a power take device provided on the vehicle and configured to electrically couple with the power feed device to feed electric power from the power source to the rechargeable battery;

wherein the power take device is positioned so as to receive electric power from the power feed device when the vehicle is put into a prescribed positional relationship to the supporting member of the stand.

2. The recharging system according to claim 1, wherein the inverted pendulum type vehicle includes a narrow section in a vertically intermediate part thereof, and the supporting member comprises a pair of arm members configured to interpose the narrow section therebetween.

3. The recharging system according to claim 2, wherein the inverted pendulum type vehicle is generally more elongated in a fore and aft direction than in a lateral direction, and the narrow section is narrowed in the fore and aft direction.

4. The recharging system according to claim 3, wherein the support member further comprises a front wall for leaning a fore and aft end of the narrow section against thereto while the arm members interpose the narrow section from either lateral side of the vehicle therebetween.

5. The recharging system according to claim 3, wherein the support member further comprises a front wall for leaning a lateral side of the narrow section against thereto while the arm members interpose the narrow section from either fore and aft end of the vehicle therebetween.

6. The recharging system according to claim 2, wherein the stand comprises a mechanism for selectively moving the arm members toward and away from each other.

7. The recharging system according to claim 1, wherein the power feed device comprises a primary coil for generating a AC magnetic field, and the power take device comprises a secondary coil for inducing AC electric current from the generated AC magnetic field when the prescribed part of the vehicle is engaged by the supporting member of the stand.

8. The recharging system according to claim 1, wherein the power feed device comprises a first electric connector, and the power take device comprises a second electric connector which is configured to establish an electric connection with the first electric connector when the prescribed part of the vehicle is engaged by the supporting member of the stand.

9. The recharging system according to claim 8, wherein the first electric connector is provided at least on one of the arm members.

10. The recharging system according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle comprises a frame including an upper frame and a lower frame that are separated from each other by the narrow section, and the upper frame defines a hollow interior receiving the rechargeable battery therein while the lower frame is incorporated with a drive unit that is powered by the rechargeable batter and propels the vehicle.

11. The recharging system according to claim 10, wherein the narrow section defines a hollow interior receiving an electric unit for controlling supply of electric power from the rechargeable batter to the drive unit.