Systems and Methods for transformation and transportation of energy storage devices

• US 20130127392A1
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Earthcell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Earthcell, Inc.
• Inventors: Rugolo, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/573,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20130127392A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/04 with apertures or windows for viewing contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 27/06 with provisions for repeated re-use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/54 Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/84 Recycling of batteries or fuel cells

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and system for managing distribution and transformation of energy storage devices. Also provided are computer-implemented methods for managing the distribution and transformation of energy storage devices. Also provided are mailers for distribution and transportation of energy storage devices; and charging units to transform energy storage devices from substantially uncharged to substantially charged state.

Claims

1. A system for managing distribution and transformation of energy storage devices, wherein said system comprises:

at least one mailer to;

receive substantially uncharged energy storage devices from a sender user, deliver substantially charged energy storage devices to a recipient user, or both;

at least one transformation unit for transformation of said energy storage devices, said transformation selected from;

transformation of substantially uncharged energy storage devices to a substantially charged state by providing a sufficient amount of electricity; and

transformation of energy storage devices into component materials;

at least one processing device;

at least one sequence of computer program instructions stored in an electronic digital memory in said processing device, which when executed cause at least one step selected from receipt, transformation, inventory, storage and initiation of delivery of energy storage devices.

2. A system as described in claim 1, wherein said processing device is a computer.

4. A system as described in claim 1, wherein the transformation unit can simultaneously charge a plurality of energy storage devices by transforming said devices from a substantially uncharged state to a substantially charged state.

5. A system as described in claim 4, wherein the charging unit can simultaneously charge from about 10 to about 1000 energy storage devices.

10. A system as described in claim 1, wherein said system comprises a mechanism for the regulation of electricity to the energy storage devices, said regulation comprising at least one of:

preventing overcharging of charged energy storage devices, and minimizing charging during peak hours.

12. A system as described in claim 1 wherein at least some of the electricity is obtained from a renewable source selected from solar, biomass, biofuel, geothermal, tidal, hydroelectric, wind and combinations thereof.

16. A system as described in claim 1 wherein each energy storage device is an electrochemical cell selected from a rechargeable cell and a non-rechargeable cell.

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31. A mailer for conveying an energy storage device from a sender to a recipient and back, comprising:

a first panel comprising at least one receptacle, and at least one sealing element;

a second panel comprising a sender address panel, and a receiver address panel, wherein said second panel is removably attached to said first panel by said at least one sealing element, wherein said first panel, at least one receptacle which is optionally detachable, second panel, and sealing element define a secure chamber to accept and securely transfer at least one energy storage device; and

a postage panel positioned on said second panel.

32. A mailer as described in claim 31, wherein said sealing element aligns said secure chamber away from an impact region of a processing machine.

34. A mailer as described in claim 31, wherein said secure chamber comprises an inner lining, said lining comprising an insulator material such that said material minimizes the dissipation of charge in the energy storage device being transported as compared to a secure chamber not comprising an inner lining.

35. A mailer as described in claim 31 wherein said secure chamber comprises a protective inner lining that is shock-proof.

36. A mailer as described in claim 31 wherein said at least one energy storage device is an electrochemical cell which is selected from rechargeable electrochemical cell and non-rechargeable electrochemical cell, and wherein said electrochemical cell is optionally AA sized or AAA sized.

40. A mailer as described in claim 31 wherein the first panel optionally comprises a locking mechanism that activates when said at least one energy storage device is placed in the receptacle and minimizes lateral displacement of the energy storage device during transportation;

and wherein said first panel optionally comprises a release mechanism that is triggered by the recipient to release said at least one energy storage device from said receptacle.

43. A mailer of claim 31 wherein said receptacle holds a plurality of energy storage devices.

44. A mailer as described in claim 31 wherein said first panel comprises an alert-mechanism to alert at least one of the sender and recipient, and wherein said alert-mechanism is activated upon the removal of a pre-determined number of energy storage devices from the receptacle.

48. A mailer as described in claim 31, wherein the sender address panel and receiver address panel can be peeled away to reveal address and postage for returning the mailer to the sender.

52. A mailer as described in claim 31 wherein at least one of said first and second panel further comprise a code, wherein said code is optionally at least one of a scan-able code and a machine readable code.

54. A mailer as described in claim 31, further comprising a signaling tag that is optionally activated when a predetermined number of energy storage devices are removed from the receptacle.

56. A mailer as described in claim 31, wherein said mailer comprising of materials that are recycled, substantially recyclable, substantially biodegradable or combinations thereof.

63. A mailer as described in claim 31 wherein said mailer further comprises a tracking panel attached to at least one of said first panel and said second panel said tracking panel optionally comprising a tracking signal that can be processed by a processing device to estimate the location of the mailer.

65. The mailer as described in claim 63, wherein said signal optionally comprises radio-frequency signal or a scan-able code, wherein said code is optionally a barcode which is optionally matrix barcode or a quick response code.

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74. A method of efficiently recycling energy storage devices comprising:

receiving at least one energy storage device in a substantially uncharged state;

transforming said energy storage device from a substantially uncharged state to a substantially charged state;

initiating transportation of said at least one energy storage device to a user such that said user receives said device in substantially charged state;

receiving back from user said at least one energy storage device in substantially uncharged state.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein said energy storage device is a rechargeable electrochemical cell.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein said energy storage devices are transported in a mailer, and wherein the method comprises the step of initiating transportation of at least one substantially charged energy storage device to recipient after issuance of an alert.

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