VEHICLE BASE STATION
First Claim
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1. A vehicle base station, comprising:
- a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned;
a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform;
a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery; and
a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform.
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Abstract
A vehicle base station comprises a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned, a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform, a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery, and a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform.
106 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vehicle base station, comprising:
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a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned; a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform; a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery; and a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6)
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4. The vehicle base station 2, wherein the platform is contoured such that gravity causes the vehicle to be positioned in a predetermined location on the platform.
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7. A system, comprising:
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a battery receiver comprising; a first frame having a base mountable to a vehicle; and a channel coupled to the base; a battery carriage, comprising; a second frame capable of holding one or more batteries; a rail mounted on the second frame and adapted to engage the channel coupled to the base of the battery receiver frame; and a vehicle base station, comprising; a platform on which a vehicle may be positioned; a first battery bay located on a first side of the platform; a second battery bay located on a second side of the platform, opposite the first side; a battery replacement assembly to remove a battery from the vehicle and to replace the battery with a new battery; and a power source adapted to provide power to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the platform. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method to replace a battery on a vehicle, comprising:
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positioning the vehicle on a platform of a vehicle base station; providing power continuously to the vehicle while the vehicle is positioned on the vehicle base station; aligning a first battery bay comprising a charged battery with a first side of a battery receiver coupled to the vehicle; aligning a second battery bay, which is empty, with a second side of the battery receiver, opposite the first side; sliding a first battery from the first battery bay onto the battery receiver coupled to the vehicle; and sliding a second battery from the battery receiver coupled to the vehicle onto the second battery bay.
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- 16. The method of claim 16, wherein sliding a first battery from the first battery docking station onto the battery receiver coupled to the vehicle comprises sliding a first battery carriage housing a first battery from the first battery bay into the battery receiver such that the first battery carriage displaces a second battery carriage housing a second battery.
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17. The method of claim 17, wherein the second battery provides power to the vehicle before the first battery is disconnected from the battery receiver.
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19. The method of claim 19, wherein the first battery bay and the second battery bay each comprise a rotating drum capable of holding a plurality of batteries, and wherein the rotating drums are rotated to align the first battery bay and the second battery bay with the battery receiver.
Specification