SYSTEM AMD METHOD FOR RAPID BATTERY EXCHANGE IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20160009255A1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter C. Droste
• Original Assignee: Peter C. Droste
• Inventors: Droste, Peter C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,637,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0455 Removal or replacement of the energy storages
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0494 with arrangements for sliding
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4973 Replacing of defective part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

A system and method for the rapid exchange of batteries in an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle contains a removable battery housed in the vehicle'"'"'s undercarriage. The electric vehicle moves through the exchange system either by propelling itself or by being propelled by the system. As the vehicle is propelled forward, the removable battery within the vehicle is unlocked from the vehicle and replaced with a charged battery. The charged battery forces the removable battery out of the rear of the vehicle as the vehicle moves forward through the exchange. The vehicle remains powered throughout the exchange process. Once the charged battery is aligned in position under the vehicle and connected to the vehicle through corresponding contacts, the charged battery is located into place in the vehicle'"'"'s undercarriage and the vehicle is ready for additional driving.

Claims

1. A battery exchange method comprising the steps of:

releasing a first battery from a secured position in a battery housing in an electric vehicle, in which secured position at least a first electrical contact in the vehicle electrically contacts a first terminal of a first polarity on a surface of the first battery and at least a second electrical contact electrically contacts a second terminal of a second and opposite polarity on the surface of the first battery;

moving the first battery to a position outside the battery housing while the first electrical contact(s) and the second electrical contact(s) maintain electrical contact with the first and second terminals of the first battery and move to respective second positions on the first and second terminals;

moving the first and second electrical contacts from their respective second positions on the first and second terminals of the first battery to respective third positions in electrical contact with first and second terminals on the surface of a second battery outside the battery housing;

moving the second battery to the secured position in the battery housing while the first electrical contact(s) and the second electrical contact(s) maintain electrical contact with the first and second terminals of the second battery and move back to their original position within the housing but now in electrical contact with the first and second terminals of the second battery; and

securing the second battery in the battery housing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle moves relative to an exchange plate during performance of at least some of the steps of the battery exchange method, the second battery is located on the exchange plate before it is moved into the vehicle, and the first battery is moved from the secured position in the vehicle to a position on the exchange plate adjacent to the second battery.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of aligning the vehicle with the exchange plate using at least one of an alignment plate or tracks.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the battery housing is on the underside of the vehicle and the exchange plate is beneath the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of propelling the vehicle over the exchange plate using a propelling mechanism of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of receiving the first battery removed from the vehicle into a battery repository connected underneath the exchange plate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first contacts include front and rear contacts and the second contacts include front and rear contacts.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the front and rear contacts are spaced far enough apart that at some point during the exchange the front contacts electrically contact the first and second terminals of the second battery and the rear contacts electrically contact the first and second terminals of the first battery.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second contacts are selected from the group consisting of a rod, a pole, an arm and a cable.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of recharging the battery that is removed from the vehicle.

11. An electric vehicle comprising a battery system for powering the vehicle, the battery system comprising:

a battery housing;

apparatus for securing the battery within the housing; and

a plurality of electrical contacts within the housing for coupling a battery to the battery system, the electrical contacts being movable between a first position in which the battery is secured within the housing and a second position is which the battery is located outside the housing, the plurality of electrical contacts comprising a first forward contact and a first rearward contact for contacting a first terminal of a first polarity on a surface of the battery and a second forward contact and a second rearward contact for contacting a second terminal of a second and opposite polarity on the surface of the battery, the electrical contacts maintaining electrical contact with the battery as it is moved between the first position and the second position.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11 wherein the battery housing is located on the underside of the vehicle.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 11 wherein the vehicle remains powered throughout the exchange of one battery for another in the battery housing.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 13 wherein the first and second forward contacts are spaced far enough apart from the first and second rearward contacts that at some point during an exchange of two batteries the forward contacts are in electrical contact with one battery and the rearward contacts are in electrical contact with the other battery.

15. A vehicle battery exchange system for exchanging a first battery located in a battery housing on an underside of a moving electric vehicle with a second battery located underneath the electric vehicle, each battery having a first terminal of a first polarity and a second terminal of a second and opposite polarity located at substantially the same place on a surface of the battery for making electrical contact with first and second contacts located in the battery housing for powering the vehicle, the system comprising:

an exchange plate on which the second battery is located;

an alignment mechanism for aligning the moving vehicle with the exchange plate;

a lift for removing the first battery from the battery housing on the underside of the vehicle and transferring it to a position adjacent the second battery on the exchange plate while the first battery remains in electrical contact with the moving vehicle through the first and second contacts; and

a lift for moving the second battery from the exchange plate to the battery housing after the first and second contacts are moved by motion of the vehicle to the first and second terminals of the second battery, the second battery remaining in electrical contact with the moving vehicle as it is moved from the exchange plate to the battery housing.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first contacts include front and rear contacts and the second contacts include front and rear contacts.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the front and rear contacts are spaced far enough apart that at some point during the exchange of the first battery for the second battery the front contacts electrically contact the first and second terminals of the second battery and the rear contacts electrically contact the first and second terminals of the first battery.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a battery repository located underneath the exchange plate.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the vehicle is aligned with the exchange plate using at least one of an alignment plate or tracks.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising a battery recharging system for recharging the battery that is removed from the vehicle.