Multi-modal transportation system for solar electric vehicle

• US 20110079166A1
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liviu Popa-Simil
• Original Assignee: Liviu Popa-Simil
• Inventors: Popa-Simil, Liviu
• Application Number:
  US12/455,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20110079166A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 105/1.4
• 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 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/04 Monorail systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/06 Power storing devices
• 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 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A useful system for our transportation needs must be in concert with the ecological and economical needs of the future.

The vehicle concept considers all the constrains imposed by battery materials, oil and electric energy availability and production capacity, electric grid power capability and will make transportation cheaper faster and more robust than the current system.

The multi-feature vehicle is modular in design separating and placing optimally the functional modules so that many variations are easily possible allowing the range, carrying capacity and multi-modal transportation to be optimized. The multi modal transportation feature is a surrogate for the lack of battery capacity to cover the individual needs for transportation avoiding the need for large capital cost for large batteries and their maintenance. The vehicle may serve as backup power source during blackouts and uses own modular compactable solar energy harvesting devices.

The intent of this proposal is to demonstrate the viability of this multi-modal concept and develop the necessary hardware and software to become market ready.

Claims

1. A multi-feature multi-modal system of transportation using a combination of vehicles made of:

A multi-modal electric light vehicle with multi-modal adaptors

A specialized carrier container or a combination of such with the capability of loading many multi-modal electric vehicles and their passengers compatible with Road or Rail (ROR) transportation system

A plurality of propulsion system that can be attached to the multi-modal vehicle or parts of it.

2. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 1 made off functional modules assembled after the need:

A plurality of driver and passenger cabin said cockpit with multi-modal adaptors

A plurality of propulsion units

Two wheels power trains with multi-modal transport adaptors

A customized flexible connecting system

An integrated functions, distributed electronic control system

A floating unit

A solar harvesting roof

A plurality of solar harvesting carts

Protective systems

3. A multi-modal adapted ROR (Rail or Road) standard container or a combination of such according to claim 1 made off:

A partition or more for loading the multimodal electric vehicles

A partition or more for loading the drivers

Specific multi-modal compatible devices as ramp/stairs doors, extendable crane, lifting floors

4. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 build by using two-wheeler light structures as scooter, bicycle, motorcycle connected by a bridge directly or with hinges with parallel axes to elastic equal effective length shaped bridges stabilized by verticality control system.

5. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 build by using two-wheeler light structures as scooter, bicycle, motorcycle, equipped with electric motors and batteries forming a power train cased in aerodynamic structure equipped with stair features and multi-modal transportation features as hooks and wheel blockers and floor supports.

6. A multimodal electric vehicle according to claim 2 and 5 build by using two-wheeler power trains holding poles for the solar roof

7. A multimodal electric vehicle according to claim 2 and 5 build by using two-wheeler light structures as scooter, bicycle, motorcycle, having the cockpit or a plurality of cockpits connected by a hinged parallelogram structure on the transversal axes staying parallel with the power train height axis.

8. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 having the possibility to trail several solar harvesting carts, to have day light autonomy.

9. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 and 8 with the dimensions trimmed to become compatible with ROR containers adapted for multi-modal transportation.

10. A multi-modal adapted ROR container or set of containers according to claim 3 adapted to load/unload in open terrain using doors/ramp-stair structures and sliding adjustable crane and parallelogram jack floors with multimodal electric car compatible structures.

11. A electric vehicle according to claim 2 made of the following modules:

two power trains, cockpit, solar roof joined by a two freedom degrees structure that can controllably tilt in two directions lateral and forward-backward to compensate for dynamic forces, or rolling surface.

12. A electronic control system according claim 2 equipping the vehicle, controlling the dynamic tilt and several other functions of the power systems.

13. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 having the cockpit fixed in the center of the transversal axes or hanged by an elastic fixture from the roof to have a slight oscillation back-forth to compensate for the longitudinal acceleration effects.

14. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 having the solar harvesting roof made from a adjustable height structure and for an aerodynamics control of its longitudinal tilt

15. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 having an advanced protection collision system made of elasto-plastic materials, to absorb the impact energy, retractable for packing in container.

16. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2, carrying solar carts having lateral protection for animal collision with good lateral aerodynamic coefficient.

17. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 having a modular propulsion system made of wheels unit containing the motor and steering wheel, electric drivers and feedback devices, equipped with light and signaling systems connected to an interchangeable battery bank

18. A multi-modal electric vehicle according to claim 2 having a cockpit with standardized top and bottom adaptors to specialized propulsion systems as rail, mono-rail, air water

19. A multi-feature multi-modal system of transportation using a combination of vehicles according to claim 1 oriented on transportation of the cockpit with passenger mainly by connecting the cockpit to a large range of direct grid powered propulsion system to minimize the need of battery capacity and maximize by central computing system the battery utilization in economic regimes.

20. A multi-modal electric vehicle used to backup the house power by connecting the car'"'"'s batteries to a specialized house power generator that charges the batteries when the grid is on or powers the house life support systems mainly during blackouts.