Electric Vehicle Battery Recharge-Replacement System

• US 20120091955A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Frank Fang Gao
• Original Assignee: Frank Fang Gao
• Inventors: Gao, Frank Fang
• Application Number:
  US13/241,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20120091955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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
• 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

Abstract

An electric vehicle battery recharge-replacement system has four major parts: (1) a rechargeable battery pack consisting of a number of separate sub-packs with an identical dimension and energy capacity, (2) a same number of battery sub-pack compartments on an electric vehicle, and all sub-pack compartments having an identical dimension, (3) a recharging array consisting of a number of individual recharging compartments stacking together, and each recharging compartment having a dimension same as the vehicle sub-pack compartment, and (4) some battery sub-pack holding cases, each of which having an identical dimension. With this system, battery pack replacement can be realized by replacing drained battery sub-packs in an electric vehicle'"'"'s compartments with recharged battery sub-packs in a recharging array'"'"'s compartments. In this system, each battery sup-pack can further consist of two to four identical sub-sub-packs, which are even lighter and easier to handle.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle battery recharge-replacement system comprising

a rechargeable battery pack comprising two to six individual battery sub-packs, and each said sub-pack having an identical dimension and an identical power capacity;

a few sub-pack holding cases, each of which being able to accommodate one said battery sub-pack;

two to six vehicle battery sub-pack compartments, said sub-pack compartments each having an identical dimension and being able to accommodates one said sub-pack holding case;

a vehicle battery sub-pack control panel;

a recharging array comprising two to six recharging sub-pack compartments being stacked together, each of said recharging sub-pack compartments having a structural dimension same as said vehicle sub-pack compartment, and being able to accommodate one said sub-pack holding case;

a recharging array control panel; and

a supporting cart.

2. Each said battery sub-pack in claim 1 further comprising two to four sub-sub-packs, said sub-sub-packs being able to electrically connect in a head-to-end arrangement when being packed together either longitudinally or latitudinally to function as a said battery sub-pack, and being able to separate from each other when being unpacked, and when being packed longitudinally one said sub-sub-pack at its front end having a clamp-able anode connector and a clamp-able cathode connector;

when being packed latitudinally one said sub-sub-pack at its front end having a clamp-able anode connector and another said sub-sub-pack at its front end having a clamp-able cathode connector.

3. Each said sub-pack holding case in claim 1 further comprising a solid bottom with a rectangular notch at center of its rear edge, a solid left sidewall, a solid right sidewall, a solid front sidewall, an open top, an open rear, a spacing block at front lower corner, one fastening belt with one end being fixed at center top edge of said spacing block and another end being attached with a tab, another fastening belt going through a releasable female buckle and with one end being fixed on said compartment bottom in front of said rectangular notch, one anode cable, and one cathode cable.

4. The said anode cable and cathode cable in claim 3 further comprising an anode clamp and a cathode clamp, respectively, and being able to clamp with said anode connector and cathode connector, respectively, in claim 2;

said anode cable and cathode cable being electrically isolated and each going through a hole on said solid front sidewall of said holding case in claims 1 and 3.

5. Each of said vehicle sub-pack compartments in claim 1 further comprising

a solid structure being fixed inside vehicle body and said structure being able to accommodates a said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4;

a solid bottom, a solid front sidewall, a solid left sidewall, a solid right sidewall, an open top, a hinged rear-end door with an open-close latch on its edge opposite to its hinged edge, and a water-proof strip along perimeter on the inside surface of said rear-end door;

a pair of sliding rulers, whose two unmoving plates being fixed each on inside surface of said left sidewall and inside surface of said right sidewall, respectively, and whose two moving plates being fixed each on outside surface of said left sidewall and outside surface of said right sidewall of said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4, and providing sliding mechanism for said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4.

6. The said vehicle battery control panel in claim 1 comprising a keypad and a display screen at convenient location on or near an electric vehicle'"'"'s dashboard, a group of anode wires, each connecting with a said anode cable of one said holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4, a group of cathode wires, each of them connecting with a said cathode cable of the same holding case, and a micro-processer programs to control functions of each said battery sub-pack in claims 1 and 2.

7. Each of said sub-pack recharging compartments of said recharging array in claim 1 further comprising

a solid structure being able to accommodates a said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4;

a solid bottom, a solid front sidewall, a solid left sidewall, and a solid right sidewall, a solid top, a hinged rear-end door with an open-close lock on its edge opposite to its hinged edge, and water-proof strip along perimeter on the inside surface of said rear-end door;

a pair of sliding rulers, whose two unmoving plates being fixed each on inside surface of said left sidewall and inside surface of said right sidewall, respectively, and whose two moving plates being fixed each on outside surface of said left sidewall and outside surface of said right sidewall of said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4, and providing sliding mechanism for said holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4.

8. The said recharging array control panel in claim 1 further comprising

a group of anode wires and a group of cathode wires, each wire in said anode group connecting to said anode clamp of one said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4 being placed in one said recharging compartment in claims 1 and 7, and each wire in said cathode group connecting to said cathode clamp of the same holding case being placed in the same recharging compartment;

a display screen at a convenient location on said recharging array in claim 1, whose function being to indicate remaining capacity, to schedule and control start-up and shut-off charging process for a said sub-pack in claims 1 and 2 being placed in said holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4 which being placed in said recharging compartment in claims 1 and 7, and to control said lock in claim 7;

a keypad for input of operational instructions.

9. Said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4, when being installed in a said vehicle sub-pack compartment in claims 1 and 5, its said anode cable and said cathode cable in claims 3 and 4 further having their other ends connected with said sub-pack control panel in claims 1 and 6, and with other functional units that are not claimed herein, of an electric vehicle.

10. Said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4, when being installed in a said recharging sub-pack compartment in claims 1 and 7, its said anode cable and said cathode cable in claims 3 and 4 further having their other ends connected with said recharging array control panel in claims 1 and 8, and with an electricity source that is not claimed herein.

11. Said supporting cart in claim 1 further comprising

staircase-type multi supporting steps with their heights corresponding to heights of said recharging sub-pack compartments in said recharging array in claims 1, 3, 4 and 7, so that each said supporting step can support a corresponding said sub-pack holding case in claims 1, 3 and 4 when said sub-pack holding case is drawn out from said recharging sub-pack compartment in said recharging array;

four all-way wheels at bottom frame as moving means, and

a security hook at each said supporting step to secure said sub-pack holding case when being placed on said supporting step.